Sample records for ramie-pu blended nonwoven

Full Text Available Greige cotton contains waxes and pectin on the outer surface of the fiber that are removed when bleached, but these components present potential wound dressing functionality. Cotton nonwovensblended with hydrophobic and hydrophilic fibers including viscose, polyester, and polypropylene were assessed for clotting activity with thromboelastography (TEG and thrombin production. Clotting was evaluated based on TEG measurements: R (time to initiation of clot formation, K (time from end of R to a 20 mm clot, α (rate of clot formation according to the angle tangent to the curve as K is reached, and MA (clot strength. TEG values correlate to material surface polarity as measured with electrokinetic parameters (ζplateau, Δζ and swell ratio. The material surface polarity (ζplateau varied from −22 to −61 mV. K values and thrombin concentrations were found to be inversely proportional to ζplateau with an increase in material hydrophobicity. An increase in the swell ratios of the materials correlated with decreased K values suggesting that clotting rates following fibrin formation increase with increasing material surface area due to swelling. Clot strength (MA also increased with material hydrophobicity. Structure/function implications from the observed clotting physiology induced by the materials are discussed.

Ultrafiltration (UF) membranes composed of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) blended with poly(vinylidene fluoride)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PVDF-g-PEGMA) can present high flux and excellent foulant removal efficiencies under suitable preparation conditions. However, these PVDF/PVDF-g-PEGMA blended membranes cannot be applied industrially because of the insufficient mechanical strength (strength-to-break value of 8.4 ± 0.6 MPa). We incorporated two types of non-woven polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabrics (thin hydrophobic and thick hydrophilic fabrics) as support layers to improve the mechanical properties of the blended membranes. The thin and thick PET fabrics were able to significantly improve the tensile strength to 23.3 ± 3.7 MPa and 30.1 ± 1.4 MPa, respectively. The PET fabrics had a limited impact on the separation-related membrane performance such as hydrophilicity, foulant rejection, whereas the mechanical strength and pure water flux was improved several folds. The enhanced flux was attributed to the higher surface porosity and wider finger-like voids in the cross-section. The thin PET fabric with larger porosity was able to maintain a consistent toughness simultaneously; thus it is recommended as a support material for this blended membrane.

The primary aim of the current research is to document the biodegradation of polypropylene nonwovens and filament under composting environments. To accelerate the biodegradat ion, pre-treatments and additives were incorporated into polypropylene filaments and nonwovens. The initial phase (Chapter 2) of the project studied the biodegradation of untreated polypropylene with/without pro-oxidants in two types of composting systems. Normal composting, which involved incubation of samples in food waste, had little effect on the mechanical properties of additive-free spunbond nonwovens in to comparison prooxidant containing spunbond nonwovens which were affected significantly. Modified composting which includes the burial of samples with food and compressed air, the polypropylene spunbond nonwovens with/without pro-oxidants displayed an extreme loss in mechanical properties and cracking on the surface cracking. Because the untreated spunbond nonwovens did not completely decompose, the next phase of the project examined the pre-treatment of gamma-irradiation or thermal aging prior to composting. After exposure to gamma-irradiation and thermal aging, polypropylene is subjected to oxidative degradation in the presence of air and during storage after irradiat ion. Similar to photo-oxidation, the mechanism of gamma radiation and thermal oxidative degradation is fundamentally free radical in nature. In Chapter 3, the compostability of thermal aged spunbond polypropylene nonwovens with/without pro-oxidant additives. The FTIR spectrum confirmed oxidat ion of the polypropylene nonwovens with/without additives. Cracking on both the pro-oxidant and control spunbond nonwovens was showed by SEM imaging. Spunbond polypropylene nonwovens with/without pro-oxidants were also preirradiated by gamma rays followed by composting. Nonwovens with/without pro-oxidants were severely degraded by gamma-irradiation after up to 20 kGy exposure as explained in Chapter 4. Furthermore (Chapter 5), gamma

Recycled fibers have been commonly used in non-woven production technology for engineering applications such as textile engineering and civil engineering. Nonwovens including recycled fibers can be utilized in insulation, roofing and floor separation applications. In this study, physical performance properties such as drape, bending resistance, tensile strength, and breaking elongation values of non-woven fabrics consisting of v-PET (virgin) and r-PET (recycled) fibers in five different blend ratios are examined comparatively. The test results indicated that r-PET can be used in non-wovens for civil engineering applications such as insulation, roofing and floor separation fulfilling the acceptable quality level values.

unsuccessful. Nevertheless, when these DLD hybrids were blended with an array of different biodegradable polymers as entanglement enhancers, nanofibrous nonwovens were successfully prepared by electrospinning. The pseudogeneration degree of the DLDs, the nature of the co-electrospun polymer and the solvent...... nanofibers. Such dendritic nanofibrous scaffolds can be promising materials for biomedical applications due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, multifunctionality, and advanced structural architecture....

This paper aims to support the concept "circular economy" that was developed recently. It presents an efficient method for creating a closed loop in the Romanian textile industry by recycling textile materials, such as polyacrylonitrile knitted old products (collected from population) and small polyester woven patches from pre-consumer waste (garments manufacturing companies). Because of their properties, nonwoven geotextiles have many advantages in railways reinforcement, slopes stabilization, erosion control, drainage, filtration, paving roads, crops coverings, etc. The nonwoven geotextiles were obtained from three fibrous blends based on recovered fibers (PES and PAN) and fibers at first usage (PP) in different ratios. All experimental variants were processed on the same manufacturing line with the same technological parameters. There were tested the main physical and mechanical parameters and it was applied single factor ANOVA method for thickness, bulk density, air permeability and static puncture strength. The conclusion is that adding PP fibers in the blends represents a very important factor for geotextiles characteristics but it possible to decrease the ratio from economical reasons and still maintain a high quality level of nonwovens.

Within the present study, the effect of hemp (40 wt%) and polyactide (60 wt%), non-woven surface density, thickness and number of fibre web layers on the sound absorption coefficient and the sound transmission loss in the frequency range from 50 to 5000 Hz is analysed. The sound insulation properties of the experimental samples have been determined, compared to the ones in practical use, and the possible use of material has been defined. Non-woven materials are ideally suited for use in acoustic insulation products because the arrangement of fibres produces a porous material structure, which leads to a greater interaction between sound waves and fibre structure. Of all the tested samples (A, B and D), the non-woven variant B exceeded the surface density of sample A by 1.22 times and 1.15 times that of sample D. By placing non-wovens one above the other in 2 layers, it is possible to increase the absorption coefficient of the material, which depending on the frequency corresponds to C, D, and E sound absorption classes. Sample A demonstrates the best sound absorption of all the three samples in the frequency range from 250 to 2000 Hz. In the test frequency range from 50 to 5000 Hz, the sound transmission loss varies from 0.76 (Sample D at 63 Hz) to 3.90 (Sample B at 5000 Hz).

An activated carbon fiber nonwoven (ACF) was manufactured from a cotton nonwoven fabric. For the ACF acoustic application, a nonwoven composite of ACF with cotton nonwoven as a base layer was developed. Also produced were the composites of the cotton nonwoven base layer with a layer of glassfiber nonwoven, and the cotton nonwoven base layer with a layer of cotton fiber nonwoven. Their noise absorption coefficients and sound transmission loss were measured using the Brüel and Kjaer impedance tube instrument. Statistical significance of the differences between the composites was tested using the method of Duncan's grouping. The study concluded that the ACF composite exhibited a greater ability to absorb normal incidence sound waves than the composites with either glassfiber or cotton fiber. The analysis of sound transmission loss revealed that the three composites still obeyed the mass law of transmission loss. The composite with the surface layer of cotton fiber nonwoven possessed a higher fabric density and therefore showed a better sound insulation than the composites with glassfiber and ACF.

Acoustic insulation is an important requirement for the human life today, since noise affects the efficiency of day-to-day activities and even cause various health problems Materials based on fibrous structures show very good acoustic insulation properties, which however strongly depends on the type of structures used. The present paper reports the qualitative analysis of the acoustic insulation behavior of various thermo-bonded nonwoven fabrics. The results showed that the acoust...

Full Text Available Non-woven mats from hemp and polypropylene fibres in various proportions were produced and hot pressed to make composite material. The effect of hemp fibre content and anisotropy in non-woven mats resulting from the carding technology were examined...

Full Text Available The widest range of medical disposable from nonwoven textiles are: absorbent and hygiene products : (diapers, feminine care, incontinence from the layered structures absorbent or impervious; use products such as hospital operating theaters sterile clothing (caps, gowns, masks, shoe coverings, materials for field operators, lab coats, packaging materials for hot or cold treatments, sterile materials (wipes, bandages, sterile bandages, etc.. Currently these materials, in their majority, are imported. This paper presents research done for getting, with the country equipment, disposable medical products from 40 g/m2 nonwoven textile materials. The technology adopted for the purpose, in SC "Minet" S.A. Ramnicu Valcea, Romania consisted of the following steps:Carding - folding, the aggregate Spinnbau-Hergeth type, Germany, with major changes carding technology adjustment and folding, to obtain a fibrous layer with a mass per unit surface of about 40-50 g / m2 and a width of 2,1 m;Pre-heat consolidation by pre-heating required only to ensure product stability required minimal interphase transport to final consolidation. Final thermal consolidation of the fibrous layer by thermal calendering at a temperature of 110°C and calenders cylinder speed of 2 m / min. The processing of the fiber by carding - folding and preliminary thermally consolidation and final by calendering.

This work investigated whether a hydroentangled greige cotton nonwoven fabric made at a relatively high hydroentangling water pressure, say, 135-bar, could be successfully bleached to attain the desired whiteness, absorbency and other properties without traditional scouring. Accordingly, the scoured...

Full Text Available Abstract Nonwoven plastic is a new material for packaging that has some special quality among the other things such as flexible, higher strength, hydrophob, breathable and hygienes. The technology of nonwoven plastic is spunbond technolog which is a clean technology and produce a non fibre product. The raw material of nonwoven plastic is food grade polypropylene, so that the products are safe for food packaging. Recently just pioneered of nonwoven plastic application as innerliner of plastic sack that can replace “karung goni”as rice packaging and replace cotton sack as meal or flour packaging. Therefore grains that have not been prepared yet, respiration activity is very important to be breathable characteristic of nonwoven plastic is able to support air circulation very well and also to keep humidity balance in the packaging. At the flour packaging, beside hydrophob characteristic, however breathable characteristic is necessary too because flour has a tendency to absorb water and flour stability must be kept at 13.5 – 14% moisture content. The first experiment was taken by PT. Boma Internusa concerning with rice storage that use nonwoven plastic packaging as innerliner of plastic sack during 2 months, and analysis showed that the rice did not smell, louse unfolding was decrease 9fumigation cost was low, yellow grains and broken grains were decrease and did not occur any change of color. In the experiment of flour storage during 3 months gave an analysis that flour wsa still having good condition and fulfilled the standard trade

This report outlined the characteristics of EPIX filter and its complex with activated carbon to eliminate organic compounds from solvent. Elimination performance of this filter was determined using an ion chromatographic analyzer. EPIX filter showed high performance to eliminate trace amount of ionic compounds. The rate of elimination was both 99% or more for NH 3 and SO 2 in an early phase of filtration. Release of dust as well as impurities was significantly reduced by the use of EPIX filter. Gases once adsorbed on the filter were not released even at an elevated temperature of atmosphere. Combined use of non-woven fabrics was possible. For EPIX filter, there are three kinds; strong acid cation exchange filter and strong/weak basic anion filters. The weak basic anion filter has been applied to the conventional apparatus in wafer makers because the filter was very effective for selective boron trapping. When polyethyleneterephthalate was used as the base polymer, radical groups produced on the polymer were co-polymerized with monomer substances. The lifetime of filter was estimated on a base of gas concentration and wind velocity to determine the time to replace with a new one. Furthermore, the loss of pressure became less than a half when EPIX filter was used. (M.N.)

Nonwovens is a fast growing industry driven by technological research and development (R&D), and one of the major application areas for nonwovens is air filtration. Research on nonwovens technologies has mainly focused on the science and technology areas, but there is very little published research on technology management issues within the…

In this study, polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) nonwovens are treated using an atmospheric plasma and the effects of the treatment time, treatment power and discharge distance on the ability of water-penetration into the nonwovens are investigated. The result indicates that the method can improve the wettability of PET nonwovens remarkably, but the aging decay of the sample's wettability is found to be notable as a function of the storage time after treatment due to the internal rotation of the single bond of surface macromolecules. As shown by SEM and XPS analysis, the etching and surface reaction are significant, and water-penetration weight is found to increase remarkably with the increasing power. This variation can be attributed to momentum transfer and enhanced higher-energy particle excitation.

A method is described for producing a resin-bonded nonwoven fabric. The preparation involves forming a fibrous web annealing it and compressing it to provide fiber to fiber contact. A polymerizable binder is applied to the fibrous web which is then treated by ionizing radiation to produce the material. 9 figures, 3 drawing

Electrophoretic deposition has always been an attractive method to deposit nanoparticles on conductive materials, while most fiber-based materials have poor conductivity which limits the application of electrophoretic deposition in assembling nanoparticles onto fiber-based materials. A new approach to assemble graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets on nonconductive nonwovens via the synergistic effect of electrophoresis and fiber interception was reported in this study. To improve surface wettability, polypropylene (PP) nonwovens were modified by acrylic acid and subsequent N{sub 2} plasma treatment. Then GO nanosheets were anchored onto modified nonwovens by electrophoresis process and nonwoven interception. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) manifested that etching and grafting simultaneously occurred on the surface of modified PP nonwovens, resulting in a great improvement of nonwoven hydrophily, which corresponded to the results of water contact angle. Furthermore, the results of X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray, SEM, and FTIR indicated that different amounts of GO nanosheets were successfully assembled onto modified PP nonwovens. This method provides a new avenue for incorporating carbon nanoparticles with nonconductive fiber-based materials, and modified PP nonwovens assembled with GO nanosheets show good air filtration performance for sodium chloride aerosol with a filtration efficiency of 87.9 % and a pressure drop of 36.4 mmH{sub 2}O, and the reduced GO/PP composite nonwovens exhibit enhanced conductivity.

This thesis is focused on a new approach of education called blended learning. The history and developement of Blended Learning is described in the first part. Then the methods and tools of Blended Learning are evaluated and compared to the traditional methods of education. At the final part an efficient developement of the educational programs is emphasized.

In this study, bamboo activated charcoal was mixed with acrylic resin in various proportions and deposited on poly-ethylene terephthalate (PET) non-woven fabrics. A series of characterizations were carried out to estimate the performances of PET non-woven fabrics such as far infrared ray emission, heat retention, negative ...

Full Text Available Blends of agave fibres with wool waste, pineapple leaf fibres and polypropylene fibres were manufactured by needle-punching technique. Composites were prepared with polypropylene matrix by the process of compression moulding. The effects of blend...

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to develop a process to produce high-performance cement-based composites reinforced with flax nonwoven fabrics, analyzing the influence of the fabric structure—thickness and entanglement—on mechanical behavior under flexural and tensile loadings. For this purpose, composite with flax nonwoven fabrics with different thicknesses were first prepared and their cement infiltration was evaluated with backscattered electron (BSE images. The nonwoven fabrics with the optimized thickness were then subjected to a water treatment to improve their stability to humid environments and the fiber-matrix adhesion. For a fixed thickness, the effect of the nonwoven entanglement on the mechanical behavior was evaluated under flexural and direct tension tests. The obtained results indicate that the flax nonwoven fabric reinforcement leads to cement composites with substantial enhancement of ductility.

This study demonstrates, for the first time, the manufacturing of novel nano-nonwovens that are comprised of three-dimensionally distributed carbon nanofibers within the matrices of traditional wet-laid nonwovens. The preparation of these nano-nonwovens involves dispersing and flocking carbon nanofibers, and optimizing colloidal chemistry during wet-lay formation. The distribution of nanofibers within the nano-nonwoven was verified using polydispersed aerosol filtration testing, air permeability, low surface tension liquid capillary porometry, SEM and cyclic voltammetry. All these characterization techniques indicated that nanofiber flocks did not behave as large solid clumps, but retained the ‘nanoporous’ structure expected from nanofibers. These nano-nonwovens showed significant enhancements in aerosol filtration performance. The reduction–oxidation reactions of the functional groups on nanofibers and the linear variation of electric double-layer capacitance with nanofiber loading were measured using cyclic voltammetry. More than 65 m 2 (700 ft 2 ) of the composite were made during the demonstration of process scalability using a Fourdrinier-type continuous pilot papermaking machine. The scalability of the process with the control over pore size distribution makes these composites very promising for filtration and other nonwoven applications. (paper)

The present invention provides, among other things, extruded blends of aliphatic polycarbonates and polyolefins. In one aspect, provided blends comprise aliphatic polycarbonates such as poly(propylene carbonate) and a lesser amount of a crystalline or semicrystalline polymer. In certain embodiments, provided blends are characterized in that they exhibit unexpected improvements in their elongation properties. In another aspect, the invention provides methods of making such materials and applications of the materials in applications such as the manufacture of consumer packaging materials.

Teachers always have been and always will be the essential element in the classroom. They can create magic inside four walls, but they have never been able to create learning environments outside the classroom like they can today, thanks to blended learning. Blended learning allows students and teachers to break free of the isolation of the…

Blended Learning has been implemented, evaluated and researched for the last decades within different educational areas and levels. Blended learning has been coupled with different epistemological understandings and learning theories, but the fundamental character and dimensions of learning...... in blended learning are still insufficient. Moreover, blended learning is a misleading concept described as learning, despite the fact that it fundamentally is an instructional and didactic approach (Oliver & Trigwell, 2005) addressing the learning environment (Inglis, Palipoana, Trenhom & Ward, 2011......) instead of the learning processes behind. Much of the existing research within the field seems to miss this perspective. The consequence is a lack of acknowledgement of the driven forces behind the context and the instructional design limiting the knowledge foundation of learning in blended learning. Thus...

The purpose of this project is the development of nonwoven fabric using natural kapok fiber and synthetic fiber for industrial usages and the development of manufacturing techniques for nursery bed soil using kapok fiber. Research scopes include the development of agricultural bed soil using kapok fiber and nonwoven fabric using kapok fiber. Main results are as follow; the physico-chemical characterization of kapok fiber (water holding capacity, bulk density, water retention curve, viscoelastic measurement, oil adsorption capacity, analysis of essential elements, measurement of anion and cation); the physico-chemical characterization of kapok bed soil; the evidence experiment of kapok bed soil; the optimum content of kapok fiber and synthetic fiber for nonwoven fabric; establishment of the optimum radiation dose for manufacturing kapok nonwoven fabric

Full Text Available filtration efficiency. Glass fibres are more harmful to human, compared to polypropylene and polyester fibre which are chemically inert. Hydroentanglement and chemical bonding techniques were utilised in manufacturing nonwovens for dry filtration. Acrylic...

Full Text Available This work is being performed to develop rapid and novel electrochemical biosensors for foodborne pathogen detection. This research focuses on electrotextile platforms to perform both capture and sensing functions in a single component. The biosensor uses nonwoven fiber membranes coated with conductive polymer and functionalized with antibodies for biological capture. This study examines three methods for antibody immobilization: passive adsorption, glutaraldehyde cross-linking, and EDC/Sulfo-NHS cross-linking. Antibodies are immobilized onto the conductive fiber surfaces for the specific capture of a target pathogen. The immobilization and capture capabilities of each method are analyzed through the use of two different fluorescent reporters: FITC and PicoGreen DNA stain. Fluorescence is measured using a fluorescent plate reader and then imaged using a fluorescent microscope. The effect of a blocking agent on specificity is also evaluated. It is found that glutaraldehyde with blocking is the best immobilization method with PicoGreen being the best fluorescent reporter.

and possibility of introduction of secondary pollution. Here, we present a novel strategy to produce a safe and effective antimicrobial nanononwoven material by immobilizing AgNPs on a rigid polymer nanofibrous matrix through simple co-electrospinning of pre-prepaired AgNPs and polystyrene (PS). Distribution...... of the AgNPs on the surface of PS fibers was achieved by tuning fiber diameters during electrospinning. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis revealed that the AgNPs distributed at the fiber surface were still covered by a layer of polymer, which inhibited their antimicrobial activity. UV/ozone treatment...... was thus employed to degrade the polymer coating without loosening the AgNPs, resulting in an active antimicrobial nonwoven against Gram-positive Staphylococcus xylosus. The mechanism based on cellular uptake of silver ions via close contact to the surface of AgNPs is proposed. The novel nanononwoven...

Full Text Available Previous studies on nonwovens used for respiratory protective devices (RPDs were related to equipment intended for short-term use. There is only limited research on the development of biocidal nonwoven fabrics for reusable RPDs that could be used safely in an industrial work environment where there is a risk of microbial growth. Moreover, a new group of biocides with high antimicrobial activity—gemini surfactants, has never been explored for textile’s application in previous studies. The aim of this study was to develop high-efficiency melt-blown nonwovens containing gemini surfactants with time-dependent biocidal activity, and to validate their antimicrobial properties under conditions simulating their use at a plant biomass-processing unit. A set of porous biocidal structures (SPBS was prepared and applied to the melt-blown polypropylene (PP nonwovens. The biocidal properties of the structures were triggered by humidity and had different activation rates. Scanning electron microscopy was used to undertake structural studies of the modified PP/SPBS nonwovens. In addition, simulation of plant biomass dust deposition on the nonwovens was performed. The biocidal activity of PP/SPBS nonwovens was evaluated following incubation with Escherichia coli and Aspergillus niger from the American Type Culture Collection, and with Pseudomonas fluorescens and Penicillium chrysogenum isolated from the biomass. PP/SPBS nonwovens exhibited antimicrobial activity to varying levels. Higher antimicrobial activity was noted for bacteria (R = 87.85–97.46% and lower for moulds (R = 80.11–94.53%.

Full Text Available Environmental protection has become an increasing concern, which makes recycling and reclaiming highly important. In addition to governmental campaigns and promotion, enterprises should examine each perspective thoroughly in order to prevent excessive resource consumption. In this study, recycled materials, including recycled far-infrared polyester (FPET fiber, three-dimensional crimped hollow flame-retarding (TPET fiber, and low-melting-point polyester (LPET fiber, are used to form nonwoven fabrics. The influence of different amounts of FPET fiber, 0–80 wt %, on the properties of nonwoven fabrics was examined. The sheath of LPET fibers can be melted as a result of hot pressing, which provides cohesion between fibers that mechanically improves the nonwoven fabrics. The tensile strength, tearing strength, air permeability, and far infrared (FIR emissivity of the nonwoven fabrics were examined, thereby determining the optimal parameters. The test results show that the thermally treated nonwoven fabrics have better mechanical properties and FIR emissivity, compared to those of non-thermally treated nonwoven fabrics. Moreover, more FPET fibers cause the mechanical properties along the cross machine direction (CD to decrease by 9% and that along the machine direction (MD to decrease by 5%. In particular, all the thermally treated samples exhibit a FIR emissivity of 0.8, which is health-promoting.

New, non-particulate decontamination materials promise to reduce both military and civilian casualties by enabling individuals to decontaminate themselves and their equipment within minutes of exposure to chemical warfare agents or other toxic materials. One of the most promising new materials has been developed using a needlepunching nonwoven process to construct a novel and non-particulate composite fabric of multiple layers, including an inner layer of activated carbon fabric, which is well-suited for the decontamination of both personnel and equipment. This paper describes the development of a composite nonwoven pad and compares efficacy test results for this pad with results from testing other decontamination systems. The efficacy of the dry nonwoven fabric pad was demonstrated specifically for decontamination of the chemical warfare blister agent bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfide (H or sulfur mustard). GC/MS results indicate that the composite fabric was capable of significantly reducing the vapor hazard from mustard liquid absorbed into the nonwoven dry fabric pad. The mustard adsorption efficiency of the nonwoven pad was significantly higher than particulate activated carbon (p=0.041) and was similar to the currently fielded US military M291 kit (p=0.952). The nonwoven pad has several advantages over other materials, especially its non-particulate, yet flexible, construction. This composite fabric was also shown to be chemically compatible with potential toxic and hazardous liquids, which span a range of hydrophilic and hydrophobic chemicals, including a concentrated acid, an organic solvent and a mild oxidant, bleach.

This study describes an approach for surface modification of a nonwoven membrane by diatomite/iron oxide to examine its filterability. Analysis results showed that nonwoven hydrophilicity is enhanced. Static contact angle decreases dramatically from 122.66° to 39.33°. Scanning electron micrograph images show that diatomite/iron oxide is attached on nonwoven fiber. X-ray diffraction analysis further proves that the compound is mostly magnetite. Fourier transformed infrared spectra results reveal that two new absorption peaks might be attributed to Si-O and Fe-O, respectively. Modified and original membranes were used in double nonwoven membrane bioreactors (MBRs) for synthetic wastewater treatment. High critical flux, long filtration time, slow trans-membrane pressure rise and stable sludge volume index confirmed the advantages of modified nonwoven. Comparing with original nonwoven, similar effluent qualities are achieved, meeting the requirements for wastewater reclamation.

The purpose of this research was to enhance the stab resistance of protective clothing material by developing a new high-density nonwoven structure. Ice picks often injure Japanese police officers due to the strict regulation of swords in the country. Consequently, this study was designed to improve stab resistance against ice picks. Most existing anti-stab protective clothing research has focused on various fabrics impregnated with resin, an approach that brings with it problems of high cost and complicated processing. Seldom has research addressed the potential for improving stab resistance by using nonwoven structures, which exhibit better stab resistance than fabric. In this research, we prepared a series of nonwoven structures with densities ranging from about 0.14 g/cm 3 to 0.46 g/cm 3 by varying the number of stacked layers of Kevlar/polyester nonwoven under a hot press. We then proposed two methods for producing such hot-press nonwovens: the multilayer hot-press method and the monolayer hot-press method. Stab resistance was evaluated according to NIJ Standard-0115.00. We also investigated the relationship among nonwoven density, stab resistance, and flexural rigidity, and here we discuss the respective properties of the two proposed methods. Our results show that stab resistance and flexural rigidity increase with nonwoven density, but flexural rigidity of nonwovens prepared using the monolayer hot-press method only shows a slight change as nonwoven density increases. Though the two methods exhibit little difference in maximum load, the flexural rigidity of nonwovens prepared using the monolayer hot-press method is much lower, which contributes to superior wear comfort. Finally, we investigated the mechanism behind the stabbing process. Stabbing with an ice pick is a complicated process that involves many factors. Our findings indicate that nonwovens stop penetration primarily in two ways: nonwoven deformation and fiber fractures.

Industry 4.0 stands for the on-going fourth industrial revolution, which uses cyber physical systems. In the textile industry the terms of industry 4.0 are not sufficiently known yet. First developments of industry 4.0 are mainly visible in the weaving industry. The cost structure of the nonwoven industry is unique in the textile industry. High shares of personnel, energy and machine costs are distinctive for nonwoven producers. Therefore the industry 4.0 developments in the nonwoven industry should concentrate on reducing these shares by using the work force efficiently and by increasing the productivity of first-rate quality and therefore decreasing waste production and downtimes. Using the McKinsey digital compass three main working fields are necessary: Self-optimizing nonwoven machines, big data analytics and assistance systems. Concepts for the nonwoven industry are shown, like the “EasyNonwoven” concept, which aims on economically optimizing the machine settings using self-optimization routines.

Full Text Available The superfine fiber of thermoplastic polyimide(LPI, whose average diameter ranges from 0.36μm to 1.47μm, was prepared through electrospinning with DMAc as solvent. It lays a good foundation for the mass preparation of LPI non-woven. The influence of electrospinning process conditions, including LPI concentration, flow rate and voltage, on morphology of LPI fiber was investigated systematically. The results show that the average diameter increases and the fibers diameter distribution turns wider with the LPI concentration increasing from 22%(mass fraction, same as below to 30%. Meanwhile, when the concentration is rather lower, some cambiform fibers can be observed. As the concentration increases, the cambiform fiber disappears. While the concentration increases continually, the fibers are adhered to be flakiness. The change of the spinning voltage makes little difference on the average diameter of fibers; the average diameter of fibers increases with the increase of the flow rate of LPI solution; when the flow rate is more than 1.5mL/h, the fibers start to be adhered, the cambiform fibers appear while the flow rate is over 1.8mL/h. Through optimizing the process, the LPI fibers with average diameter of 1.18μm were prepared under 30℃ with the conditions of 28% concentration, 15kV voltage, 1.2mL/h flow rate and the 25cm receiving distance.

The aim of this work is to prepare non-woven polypropylene (PP) textile functionalized with bioactive molecules in order to improve its anticoagulation and antibacterial properties. This paper describes the optimization of the grafting process of acrylic acid (AA) on low-pressure cold-plasma pre-activated PP, the characterization of the modified substrates and the effect of these modifications on the in vitro biological response towards cells. Then, the immobilization of gentamicin (aminoglycoside antibiotic) and heparin (anticoagulation agent) has been carried out on the grafted samples by either ionic interactions or covalent linkages. Their bioactivity has been investigated and related to the nature of their interactions with the substrate. For gentamicin-immobilized AA-grafted samples, an inhibition radius and a reduction of 99% of the adhesion of Escherichia coli have been observed when gentamicin was linked by ionic interactions, allowing the release of the antibiotic. By contrast, for heparin-immobilized AA-grafted PP samples, a strong increase of the anticoagulant effect up to 35 min has been highlighted when heparin was covalently bonded on the substrate, by contact with the blood drop. (paper)

Full Text Available Nonwoven fabrics have merits, and for example, they can be simply and quickly processed with a variety of materials and an easily changeable manufacturing process. This study aims to examine the influences of the addition of sodium alginate (SA and the concentration of calcium chloride (CaCl2 on the properties of the composite nonwoven fabrics. Chitosan (CS micro-particles and SA solution are cross-linked with CaCl2 with various concentrations, combined with farir heat preservative staples (FT/cotton (C nonwoven fabrics, and then freeze-dried to form CS/SA/FT/C composite nonwoven fabrics. Afterwards, physical property tests are performed on the resulting composite nonwoven fabrics to determine their properties as related to various concentrations of CaCl2. The addition of SA decreases the water vapor permeability of FT/C nonwoven fabrics by 15 %, but the concentrations of CaCl2 do not influence the water vapor permeability. Compared to FT/C nonwoven fabrics, CS/SA/FT/C composite nonwoven fabrics have significantly lower water absorbency and water vapor permeability, but a greater stiffness.

Sputter coatings provide new approaches to the surface functionalization of textile materials. In this study, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nonwoven material was used as a substrate for creating functional nanostructures on the fiber surfaces. A magnetron sputter coating was used to deposit functional zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures onto the nonwoven substrate. The evolution of the surface morphology of the fibers in the nonwoven web was examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM observations revealed a significant difference in the morphology of the fibers before and after the sputter coating. The AFM images also indicated the effect of the sputtering conditions on the surface morphology of the fibers. The increase in the sputtering time led to the growth of the ZnO grains on the fiber surfaces. The higher pressure in the sputtering chamber could cause the formation of larger grains on the fiber surfaces. The higher power used also generated larger grains on the fiber surfaces

The experimental results from laboratory test on the sound absorption performance of nonwoven felt with an array thin tubes and sonic crystal inclusions reported in this paper. The nonwoven felt sample was produced by a local company with 15 mm in its thickness and 900 gsm. The 6.4 mm diameter plastic straw was used to construct the thin tubes array while the sonic crystal is arranged in a 4 × 4 lattice crystal formation. It made from a PVC cylinder with 17 mm and 50 mm in diameter and length respectively. All cylinders have two holes positioned on 10 mm and 25 mm from the base. The results show that both treatments, array of thin tube and sonic crystal inclusions are effectively increased the sound absorption coefficient of the nonwoven felt significantly especially in the low frequency range starting from 200Hz.

Here, we introduce regenerated fibers of chitin (Chiber), the second most abundant biopolymer after cellulose, and propose its utility as a nonwoven fiber separator for lithium metal batteries (LMBs) that exhibits an excellent electrolyte-uptaking capability and Li-dendrite-mitigating performance. Chiber is produced by a centrifugal jet-spinning technique, which allows a simple and fast production of Chibers consisting of hierarchically aligned self-assembled chitin nanofibers. Following the scrutinization on the Chiber-Li-ion interaction via computational methods, we demonstrate the potential of Chiber as a nonwoven mat-type separator by monitoring it in Li-O 2 and Na-O 2 cells.

Chitosan is a modified natural polymer mainly produced from chitin, one of the most abundant organic materials in the world. Highly porous chitosan mats present the specific physicochemical properties of the base material and also benefit from the physical characteristics of nanoporous membranes. Electrospinning is a novel technique developed long time ago and revisited recently that can generate polymeric fibers with nanometric size. The ultimate purpose of this work is to fabricate microporous non-woven chitosan membranes for wound healing dressings and heavy metal ion removal from drinking water. In this dissertation, two approaches have been utilized to prepare chitosan-based nanofibers; blending and co-axial electrospinning of chitosan solution with a readily electrospinnable solution, i.e. an aqueous solution of polyethylene oxide (PEO). Consequently, understanding the phase behavior and miscibility of aqueous acidic solutions of chitosan and PEO and their blends is of crucial importance, as any phase separation occurring during the electrospinning process greatly changes the morphology and physico-mechanical properties of the final products. First we employed the rheological approach on a well-known aqueous PEO solution to develop the experimental protocol. By comparing these critical points with that obtained from other experimental techniques, we showed that rheological measurements can sensitively detect early stages of phase separation. Subsequently the method was applied to 50 wt% aqueous acetic acid solutions of PEO, chitosan and their blends at different ratios. These solutions showed a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phase diagram that is attributed to the existence of hydrogen bonds between active groups on chitosan and PEO backbone and the solvent. Critical decomposition temperatures for binodal and spinodal points were estimated from isochronal temperature sweep experiments. The obtained binodal temperatures confirmed that chitosan

PP non-woven fabrics were prepared by melt-blown spinning, followed by heat and plasma treatments. After heat treatment, the PP non-woven fabrics displayed decreased water flux, increased tensile strength, decreased elongation, and an average pore size of 0.7 μm. The hydrophilicity of the PP non-woven fabrics was improved by plasma treatment. The water flux of the PP non-woven fabrics increased about two fold after the plasma treatment. The particle removal efficiency was determined to be 97.2-99.4% for 1-3 μm sized particles, demonstrating a high particle removal efficiency. Polypropylene (PP) non-woven fabrics have been widely used as filtration membranes in wastewater purification with industrial applications due to their low cost, good mechanical strength, and high thermal and chemical stability. The membrane fouling behavior depends strongly on the physical and mechanical properties of the membrane, including pore size, porosity, morphology, and hydrophilicity. In general, PP non-woven fabrics have poor hydrophilicity; this has limited their application in the biomedical field. It is therefore necessary to develop PP non-woven fabrics with improved surface hydrophilicity to increase the scope of their use. Plasma treatment, an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional chemical activation, only changes the uppermost atomic layers of a membrane surface without affecting the bulk properties of the polymer.

In order to develop a more economical pretreatment method for electroless nickel plating, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma at atmospheric pressure was used to improve the hydrophilicity and adhesion of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) nonwoven fabric. The properties of the PET nonwoven fabric including its liquid absorptive capacity (W A ), aging behavior, surface chemical composition, morphology of the surface, adhesion strength, surface electrical resistivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI)- shielding effectiveness (SE) were studied. The liquid absorptive capacity (W A ) increased due to the incorporation of oxygen-containing and nitrogen-containing functional groups on the surface of PET nonwoven fabric after DBD air-plasma treatment. The surface morphology of the nonwoven fibers became rougher after plasma treatment. Therefore, the surface was more prone to absorb tin sensitizer and palladium catalyst to form an active layer for the deposition of electroless nickel. SEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements indicated that a uniform coating of nickel was formed on the PET nonwoven fabric. The average EMI-SE of Ni-plating of PET nonwoven fabric maintained a relatively stable value (38.2 dB to 37.3 dB) in a frequency range of 50 MHz to 1500 MHz. It is concluded that DBD is feasible for pretreatment of nonwoven fabric for electroless nickel plating to prepare functional material with good EMI-SE properties.

of the textile fibers. In this study we present the ability of amphiphilic CD coated polypropylene nonwovens to trap 8 different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons/endocrine disruptors from aqueous solutions thus demonstrating the potential of using the amphiphilic cyclodextrins for water purification....

A studied has been conducted to determine the effect of water pressure in a commercial-grade Fleissner MiniJet hydroentanglement system on the absorbency of greige (non-bleached) cotton lint-based nonwoven fabric. The study has shown that a water pressure of 125 Bar or higher on only two high-pressu...

A variety of natural and synthetic fibers are employed in hemostatic dressings. Here we demonstrate the use of greige cotton as a functional fiber, which when combined with hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibers in hydroentangled nonwoven materials, promotes accelerated clotting. A biophysical approach...

A comparative study was conducted to identify the effects of processing parameters on physical and combustion properties of needlepunched (NP) and hydroentangled (H-E) nonwoven fabrics produced from fibers of a standard Mid-South white fiber cotton and a naturally colored brown fiber cotton. The fl...

A method for rapid monitoring particulate radiocesium using a nonwoven fabric cartridge filter was developed, which needs no further preprocessing before served to a detector. By a performance test, more than 98% of suspended solid (SS) was collected. This method showed the same radioactivity measurement accuracy as filtration by membrane filter and more rapid extraction capability of SS. (author)

A renewable and superior thermal-resistant cellulose-based composite nonwoven was explored as lithium-ion battery separator via an electrospinning technique followed by a dip-coating process. It was demonstrated that such nanofibrous composite nonwoven possessed good electrolyte wettability, excellent heat tolerance, and high ionic conductivity. The cells using the composite separator displayed better rate capability and enhanced capacity retention, when compared to those of commercialized polypropylene separator under the same conditions. These fascinating characteristics would endow this renewable composite nonwoven a promising separator for high-power lithium-ion battery.

Full Text Available Surface oxyfluorination had been carried out on polypropylene non-woven fabric (PP NWF) samples of different morphologies and pore sizes. The modified surfaces were characterised by Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform InfraRed (ATR...

Full Text Available In this work Linear Low Density Polyethylene-nonwoven industrial Fique fiber mat (LLDPE-Fique and Epoxy Resin-nonwoven industrial Fique fiber mat (EP-Fique biocomposites were prepared using thermocompression and resin film infusion processes. Neat polymeric matrices and its biocomposites were tested following ASTM standards in order to evaluate tensile and flexural mechanical properties. Also, thermal behavior of these materials has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. Tensile and flexural test revealed that nonwoven Fique reinforced composites exhibited higher modulus and strength but lower deformation capability as compared with LLDPE and EP neat matrices. TG thermograms showed that nonwoven Fique fibers incorporation has an effect on the thermal stability of the composites. On the other hand, Fique fibers did not change the crystallization and melting processes of the LLDPE matrix but restricts the motion of EP macromolecules chains thus increases the Tg of the EP-Fique composite. Finally, this work opens the possibility of considering non-woven Fique fibers as a reinforcement material with a high potential for the manufacture of biocomposites for automotive applications. In addition to the processing test specimens, it was also possible to manufacture a part of LLDPE-Fique, and one part of EP-Fique. Keywords: Biocomposites, Natural materials, Nonwoven Fique fiber mat, LLDPE, Epoxy Resin

In this study, we fabricated effect of storage conditions on graft of polypropylene (PP) non-woven fabric induced by electron beam. The electron beam irradiations on PP non-woven fabric were carried out over a range of irradiation doses from 25 to 100 kGy to make free radicals on fabric surface. The radical measurement was established by electron spin resonance (ESR) for confirming the changes of the alkyl radical and peroxy radical according to effect of storage time, storage temperature and atmosphere. It was observed that the free radicals were increased with irradiation dose and decreased with storage time due to the continuous oxidation. However, the radical extinction was significantly delayed due to reduced mobility of radicals at extremely low temperature. The degree of graft based on the analysis of ESR was investigated. The conditions of graft reaction were set at a temperature: 60 degrees Celcius, reaction time: 6 hours and styrene monomer concentration: 20 wt%.

Acrylonitrile has been widely used in the modification of polymers by graft polymerization. In the present work, pre-irradiation induced emulsion graft polymerization method is used to introduce acrylonitrile onto PE nonwoven fabric instead of the traditional reaction in organic solvents system. The degree of grafting (DG) is measured by gravimetric method and the kinetics of the graft polymerization is studied. The existence of the graft chains is proven by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis. Thermal stability of the grafted polymer is measured by Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). - Highlights: → Acrylonitrile is grafted onto pre-irradiated polyethylene (PE) nonwoven fabrics. → Emulsion system is applied, for the graft polymerization avoids organic solvent. → Kinetic of the pre-irradiation induced graft polymerization is studied. → Optimal condition is determined at the temperature below the b.p. of acrylonitrile.

Textile concrete with nonwoven polypropylene fabric can be used for protective layers of reinforced concrete structures, reducing the thickness of the cover layer or reducing the water penetration rate into the structure. The material consists of cement matrix with finegrained aggregate and nonwoven textile reinforcement. The maximum grain size of the mixture suitable for the nonwoven textile infiltration is 0.25 mm. The interlayer contains larger aggregates and short fibers. Tensile loading causes a large amount of microcracks in the material. The material can withstand strain over 25% without collapsing. Increased quality and water-cement ratio reduction was achieved using the plasticizers and distribution of the mixture into a fabric using a vibrating trowel. It is possible to make flat plates and even curved structures from this material. Larger curvatures of structures should be solved by cutting and overlapping the fabric. Small curvatures can be solved within the deformability of the fabric. Proper infiltration of the cement mixture into the fabric is the most important task in producing this material.

Full Text Available With the increases of the expected properties of textile products, better and advanced new designs are being created. Textiles used in vehicles are increasing, and the current performance of the expectations bar is determined by automobile manufacturers. While meeting the expectations of users in the vehicle mechanically, but also disturbing the user during operation of the mechanical properties of this ratio should be minimized. This study was intended to minimize sound transmission of nonwoven textile components, which are used in cars as silencer parts. For that purpose, four different models were developed in this study. First model consists of three designs for baggage carpets. Second model has six designs for floor coverings. Third model comprises two designs inner dash felt and finally fourth model includes two designs of hood liners. The acoustical absorption coefficients and transmission loss of these carpets were tested and evaluated in the frequency range of 16-6300 Hz. The measurements demonstrated that nonwoven layer is a very significant and effective part of a carpet due to its contribution in the sound isolation. With this study, it has been determined which layer has better performance on sound absorption and transmission loss among different carpet types. A combination of heavy layer and nonwoven layer carpets is found to be benefit for noise and sound insulation.

Recently, with the ever-growing demand for healthy living, more and more research is focused on materials capable of killing harmful microorganisms around the world. It is believed that designing such protective materials for hygienic and biomedical applications can benefit people in professional areas and daily life. Thus, in this paper, one novel kind of antibacterial poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) nonwoven fabrics was conveniently one-pot prepared, with the combined immobilization of two biological antimicrobial agents, i.e. ε-polylysine and natamycin, by using the soft methacrylate nonwoven fabrics adhesives. Then, the antimicrobial activities of the functional fabrics were investigated by using the standard shaking-flask method, showing excellent antibacterial efficiency (AE) against both Escherichia coli (8099) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538) (AE > 99.99%) compared with untreated PET nonwoven fabrics. The anti-bioaerosol tests also showed similar trends. Meantime, scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that the bacteria on the antibacterial PET appeared to be partly bacteriolyzed and showed much less viability than those on the pristine ones. Moreover, the long residual biocidal action of such modified PET fabrics was also evaluated, and the antibacterial activity of antibacterial fibers was unaffected by the 3 month artificially accelerated aging.

Recently, with the ever-growing demand for healthy living, more and more research is focused on materials capable of killing harmful microorganisms around the world. It is believed that designing such protective materials for hygienic and biomedical applications can benefit people in professional areas and daily life. Thus, in this paper, one novel kind of antibacterial poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) nonwoven fabrics was conveniently one-pot prepared, with the combined immobilization of two biological antimicrobial agents, i.e. {epsilon}-polylysine and natamycin, by using the soft methacrylate nonwoven fabrics adhesives. Then, the antimicrobial activities of the functional fabrics were investigated by using the standard shaking-flask method, showing excellent antibacterial efficiency (AE) against both Escherichia coli (8099) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538) (AE > 99.99%) compared with untreated PET nonwoven fabrics. The anti-bioaerosol tests also showed similar trends. Meantime, scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that the bacteria on the antibacterial PET appeared to be partly bacteriolyzed and showed much less viability than those on the pristine ones. Moreover, the long residual biocidal action of such modified PET fabrics was also evaluated, and the antibacterial activity of antibacterial fibers was unaffected by the 3 month artificially accelerated aging.

The development of methods to predict the strength and stiffness of biomaterials used in tissue engineering is critical for load-bearing applications in which the essential functional requirements are primarily mechanical. We previously quantified changes in the effective stiffness (E) of needled nonwoven polyglycolic acid (PGA) and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) scaffolds due to tissue formation and scaffold degradation under three-point bending. Toward predicting these changes, we present a structural model for E of a needled nonwoven scaffold in flexure. The model accounted for the number and orientation of fibers within a representative volume element of the scaffold demarcated by the needling process. The spring-like effective stiffness of the curved fibers was calculated using the sinusoidal fiber shapes. Structural and mechanical properties of PGA and PLLA fibers and PGA, PLLA, and 50:50 PGA/PLLA scaffolds were measured and compared with model predictions. To verify the general predictive capability, the predicted dependence of E on fiber diameter was compared with experimental measurements. Needled nonwoven scaffolds were found to exhibit distinct preferred (PD) and cross-preferred (XD) fiber directions, with an E ratio (PD/XD) of approximately 3:1. The good agreement between the predicted and experimental dependence of E on fiber diameter (R2 = 0.987) suggests that the structural model can be used to design scaffolds with E values more similar to native soft tissues. A comparison with previous results for cell-seeded scaffolds (Engelmayr, G. C., Jr., et al., 2005, Biomaterials, 26(2), pp. 175-187) suggests, for the first time, that the primary mechanical effect of collagen deposition is an increase in the number of fiber-fiber bond points yielding effectively stiffer scaffold fibers. This finding indicated that the effects of tissue deposition on needled nonwoven scaffold mechanics do not follow a rule-of-mixtures behavior. These important results underscore

In this work Linear Low Density Polyethylene-nonwoven industrial Fique fiber mat (LLDPE-Fique) and Epoxy Resin-nonwoven industrial Fique fiber mat (EP-Fique) biocomposites were prepared using thermocompression and resin film infusion processes. Neat polymeric matrices and its biocomposites were tested following ASTM standards in order to evaluate tensile and flexural mechanical properties. Also, thermal behavior of these materials has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Tensile and flexural test revealed that nonwoven Fique reinforced composites exhibited higher modulus and strength but lower deformation capability as compared with LLDPE and EP neat matrices. TG thermograms showed that nonwoven Fique fibers incorporation has an effect on the thermal stability of the composites. On the other hand, Fique fibers did not change the crystallization and melting processes of the LLDPE matrix but restricts the motion of EP macromolecules chains thus increases the Tg of the EP-Fique composite. Finally, this work opens the possibility of considering non-woven Fique fibers as a reinforcement material with a high potential for the manufacture of biocomposites for automotive applications. In addition to the processing test specimens, it was also possible to manufacture a part of LLDPE-Fique, and one part of EP-Fique.

Developing wet-laid papers with a good wet strength remains a longstanding challenge in the papermaking industry. In this study, hydroentanglement, a mechanical bonding technique is developed to consolidate the wet-laid fibre web. The results indicate that wet tensile strength, ductile stretching property, softness, air permeability and water absorbency of the wet-laid fibre web are significantly improved by hydroentanglement. In addition, the abrasion test shows that the dusting off rate of wet-laid fibre web can be effectively reduced through hydroentanglement. Moreover, the disintegration experiment proves that wet-laid hydroentangled nonwovens could be easily dispersed when compared with conventional carded hydroentangled nonwovens. Therefore, the new wet-laid hydroentangled nonwovens can maintain excellent performance in a wet state, showing a great potential for personal hygiene applications.

Full Text Available For personal protection against high kinetic energy projectiles, multilayered armor systems (MAS are usually the best option. They combine synergistically the properties of different materials such as ceramics, composites and metals. In the present work, ballistic tests were performed to evaluate multilayered armor systems (MAS using curaua non-woven fabric epoxy composites as second layer. A comparison to a MAS using aramid (Kevlarâ¢ fabric laminates was made. The results showed that the curaua non-woven fabric composites are suitable to the high ballistic applications, and are promising substitutes for aramid fabric laminates. Keywords: Composite, Natural fiber, Curaua fiber, Non-woven fabric, Aramid laminate, Ballistic test

Research highlights: → PHBV, PCL and blends were processed in form of solvent cast films and e-spun mats. → A clear phase separation was observed for cast films when blended in equal amount. → E-spun blends were comprised of uniform and defect-free randomly arranged fibers. → DSC and XRD analyses demonstrated the immiscibility of PHBV and PCL. → Rearrangement of e-spun fibers and neckings, after axial test, were observed. - Abstract: Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) were blended in different ratio, e.g. 30/70, 50/50 and 70/30 (w/w), by means of solvent casting or electrospinning. Microstructure, thermal and mechanical properties of cast films and non-woven mats were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and uniaxial tensile test. The microstructure of PHBV/PCL solvent cast films (thickness 65-100 μm) was strictly dependent on the composition of the blend, a clean phase separation was observed for the 50/50 (w/w) sample. All electrospun PHBV/PCL blends (thickness 350-800 μm) were characterised by uniform and homogenous fibers, the average size was about 3 μm. Both techniques led to polymeric blends comprised of separate crystalline domains associated to an amorphous interdisperse phase. It has also been demonstrated that electrospun PHBV/PCL blends showed a lower segregation degree among the crystalline domains. Solvent cast blends were characterised by superior mechanical properties in terms of tensile modulus and tensile strength compared to electrospun ones. Fractured electrospun blends showed an overall fiber rearrangement in the direction of the applied load, eventually highlighting multiple necking regions along the fibers.

Full Text Available and it is then removed by pressurized non- reacting gas (air) to give pore size and its distribution. Three kinds of pores may be present in nonwoven fabrics, namely, closed pores, through pores, and blind pores. Closed pores are not accessible and therefore do... not allow passage of liquid and air. The blind pores terminate inside the material and do not permit the fluid flow. Through pores are open and allow the flow through the medium and they are important for filtration and drainage applications [8...

Full Text Available This paper presents the improvement methods to increase sound absorption performance of polyethylene based nonwoven fabric (PNF. The methods are placing a woven fabric in front of the sample as well as providing air cavity behind the sample. The samples were experimentally tested in an impedance tube based on ISO 10354-2:2001 whereby two microphones are used and the transfer matrix methods are employed. From the results, it can be seen that placing front woven fabric effectively increases sound absorption performance. Moreover, introducing air cavity gap behind the sample is also found to be more significant to increase sound absorption.

At the present expected to enhance the product-value of automobile, it can be considered that advancement of touching and fitting feeling of seat would be important factors. For the purpose of materializing of these factors, We have noted softening of seat cover and carried out development of cover pad made of non-woven fablic. As a result of pursuing compatibility of soft feeling and durability of the cover pad, we could achieve to ensure the quality required for the material as the seat cover pad. 3 refs., 15 figs., 4 tabs.

Nowadays bio-based composite materials have been used in rising amounts and demanded widely in industrial uses, as they provide cost reduction and weight loss in the end use products. Agricultural cellulose based wastes can be a good alternative to synthetic fibers and can be used in natural fiber reinforced composite production, as there is a huge (more than 40 million tons) potential for natural cellulose production from agricultural wastes. Okra is one of the most grown vegetables around the world with stems left on the fields after harvest. When the similarity of mechanical properties of okra fibers with traditional bast fibers (flax, kenaf, hemp) are considered, from an economical and an environmental point of view this research emphasizes the potential of agricultural biomass for natural fiber production. In this study, okra stem wastes used for natural cellulosic fiber production and treated with 10% NaOH at 60°C for 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes. By alkali treatment, decrease in fiber diameter and weight, and increase in tensile strength and elongation % have been observed. Nonwoven production has been done from both the fibers with and without surface treatments. Thermal conductivity properties of both nonwovens have been investigated.

Full Text Available This paper describes the development of an innovative carbon nanotube-based non-woven composite sensor that can be tailored for strain sensing properties and potentially offers a reliable and cost-effective sensing option for structural health monitoring (SHM. This novel strain sensor is fabricated using a readily scalable process of coating Carbon nanotubes (CNT onto a nonwoven carrier fabric to form an electrically-isotropic conductive network. Epoxy is then infused into the CNT-modified fabric to form a free-standing nanocomposite strain sensor. By measuring the changes in the electrical properties of the sensing composite the deformation can be measured in real-time. The sensors are repeatable and linear up to 0.4% strain. Highest elastic strain gage factors of 1.9 and 4.0 have been achieved in the longitudinal and transverse direction, respectively. Although the longitudinal gage factor of the newly formed nanocomposite sensor is close to some metallic foil strain gages, the proposed sensing methodology offers spatial coverage, manufacturing customizability, distributed sensing capability as well as transverse sensitivity.

A total of seven source fiber types were selected for use in the manufacturing of nonwoven roll goods: polyester; polypropylene; rayon; greige cotton from two sources; mechanically cleaned greige cotton; and scoured and bleached cotton. The microbial burden of each source fiber was measured as a pr...

The concept of blending and deblending is reviewed, making use of traditional and dispersed source arrays. The network concept of distributed blended acquisition is introduced. A million-trace robot system is proposed, illustrating that decentralization may bring about a revolution in the way we

The entanglement length Le of polymer chains (corresponding to the entanglement molecular weight Me) is not an intrinsic material parameter but changes with the interaction with surrounding chains. For miscible blends of cis-polyisoprene (PI) and poly(tert-butyl styrene) (PtBS), changes of Le on blending was examined. It turned out that the Le averaged over the number fractions of the Kuhn segments of the components (PI and PtBS) satisfactorily describes the viscoelastic behavior of pseudo-monodisperse blends in which the terminal relaxation time is the same for PI and PtBS.

Carboxylic acid group was introduced by radiation-induced grafting of acrylic acid (AAc) onto polyolefine nonwoven fabric (PNF), wherein the PNF comprises at least about 60% of a polyethylene having a melting temperature at {approx}132 deg. C and no more than about 40% of a second polypropylene having a lower melting temperature at {approx}162 deg. C, for a battery separator. The AAc-grafted PNF was characterized by XPS, SEM, DSC, TGA and porosimeter. The wetting speed, electrolyte retention, electrical resistance, and tensile strength were evaluated after grafting of AAc. It was found that the wetting speed, electrolyte retention, thickness, and ion-exchange capacity increased, whereas the electrical resistance decreased with increasing grafting yield. The tensile strength decreased with increasing grafting yield, whereas the elongation decreased with increasing grafting yield. (author)

Carboxylic acid group was introduced by radiation-induced grafting of acrylic acid (AAc) onto polyolefine nonwoven fabric (PNF), wherein the PNF comprises at least about 60% of a polyethylene having a melting temperature at {approx}132degC and no more than about 40% of a second polypropylene having a lower melting temperature at {approx}162degC, for a battery separator. The AAc-grafted PNF was characterized by XPS, SEM, DSC, TGA and porosimeter. The wetting speed, electrolyte retention, electrical resistance, and tensile strength were evaluated after grafting of AAc. It was found that the wetting speed, electrolyte retention, thickness, and ion-exchange capacity increased, whereas the electrical resistance decreased with increasing grafting yield. The tensile strength decreased with increasing grafting yield, whereas the elongation decreased with increasing grafting yield. (author)

Lately research in use of so-called green chemicals draws strong interest from research community due to the climate change issues. Malaysia is in strong position to take this advantage because we are among the world biggest producers of natural rubber and palm oil - the two sources of important green renewable chemical feedstock in the near future. For the last couple of years we have shown how modified natural rubbers especially liquid natural rubber and its derivatives such as liquid epoxidized natural rubber acrylate (LENRA) could be used in various applications via among others sol-gel technique and radiation curing technology. This time around we will show another application on how non-woven membranes made from PVC can be prepared by electro spinning technique using radiation curable LENRA as toughener. The electro spinning technique has great potential in producing nano fiber materials to be used in various applications to ensure sustainable energy and environments for the future. (author)

The object of this project is to develop chemical models and associated correlations to predict the blending behavior of bio-derived fuels when mixed with conventional fuels like gasoline and diesel fuels.

Successful coal blending requires finding a careful balance between fuel costs and plant performance. A recent study of a Malaysian power plant shows how the utility (Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB)) could reduce fuel costs while avoiding boiler operating problems normally associated with firing low-grade coals. TNB`s Kaper 2220 MW power station in Selangor needed an improved method of coal blending for two new 500 MW units and for two existing 300 MW units. UK`s Power Technology was commissioned to identify what coal blends the boiler could tolerate. A Coal Quality Impact Model (CQIM) analysis of the effect of different coals and coal blends on combustion performance and economics, and a performance analysis of coal yard handling facility was made to determine whether the accuracy of the required blend could be achieved (using a Coal Handling Simulation, CHAS, software package). The CQIM study showed that the proportion of cheaper coals could be increased from 20% to 50% provided each shipment was adequately sampled. The CHAS study showed that use of a flat back reclaimer or modifications to the dry coal stove would allow accurate blending. 5 figs., 1 tab.

A metal ion adsorbent was developed from a nonwoven fabric trunk material composed of both natural and synthetic polymers. A pre-irradiation technique was used for emulsion grafting of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto an electron beam irradiated abaca/polyester nonwoven fabric (APNWF). The dependence of degree of grafting (Dg), calculated from the weight of APNWF before and after grafting, on absorbed dose, reaction time and monomer concentration were evaluated. After 50 kGy irradiation with 2 MeV electron beam and subsequent 3 h reaction with an emulsion consisting of 5% GMA and 0.5% polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (Tween 20) surfactant in deionized water at 40 °C, a grafted APNWF with a Dg greater than 150% was obtained. The GMA-grafted APNWF was further modified by reaction with ethylenediamine (EDA) in isopropyl alcohol at 60 °C to introduce amine functional groups. After a 3 h reaction with 50% EDA, an amine group density of 2.7 mmole/gram adsorbent was achieved based from elemental analysis. Batch adsorption experiments were performed using Cu 2+ and Ni 2+ ions in aqueous solutions with initial pH of 5 at 30 °C. Results show that the adsorption capacity of the grafted adsorbent for Cu 2+ is four times higher than Ni 2+ ions. - Highlights: • An amine type adsorbent from abaca/polyester nonwoven fabric was synthesized. • Pre-irradiation method was used in grafting glycidyl methacrylate on nonwoven fabric. • Radiation-induced grafting was performed with monomer in emulsion state. • The calculated adsorption capacity for Cu 2+ is four times higher than Ni 2+ ions. • Grafted adsorbent can remove Cu 2+ faster than a chemically similar commercial resin

Castor oil based polyurethane (PU)-polyester nonwoven fabric composites were fabricated by impregnating the polyester nonwoven fabric in a composition containing castor oil and diisocyanate. Composites were fabricated with two different isocyanates such as toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI). Transport behavior of n-alkane penetrants (pentane, hexane and heptane) into both PUs and PU-polyester nonwoven fabric composites were studied. Sorption studies were carried out at different temperatures. From the sorption results, the diffusion (D) and permeation (P) coefficients of penetrants have been calculated. Significant increase in the diffusion and permeation coefficients was observed with increase in the temperature of sorption experiments. Drastical reduction in diffusion and permeation coefficients was noticed in the composites compared to neat PUs. Attempts were made to estimate the empirical parameters like n, which suggests the mode of transport and K is a constant depends on the structural characteristics of the composite in addition to its interaction with penetrants. The temperature dependence of the transport coefficients has been used to estimate the activation energy parameter for diffusion (E D ) and permeation (E P ) processes from Arrhenius plots. Furthermore, the sorption results have been interpreted in terms of the thermodynamic parameters such as enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS)

This study provides a mixed-methods case-study design evaluation of the Leadership in Blended Learning (LBL) program. The LBL program uses blended approaches, including face-to-face and online, to prepare school leaders to implement blended learning initiatives in their schools. This evaluation found that the program designers effectively…

University College Lillebaelt has decided that 30 percent of all educational elements must be generated as blended learning by the end of the year 2015 as part of a modernization addressing following educational needs: 1. Blended learning can help match the expectations of the future students who...... learning. 4. Blended learning can contribute to supporting and improving efficiency of educational efforts. This can for instance be done through programmes for several classes by using video conferencing, allocating traditional face to face teaching to synchronous and asynchronous study activities produce...... digital materials which can be employed didactically and reused by the teachers. This can also mean that the particular competencies which teaches have in Svendborg can be used at other locations in UCL and disseminated to a larger group of students without further costs. Educational Innovation...

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Blend was the system used by the NMFS Alaska Regional Office to monitor groundfish catch from 1991 until 2002. The Blend system combined data from industry...

The 21st century has witnessed vast amounts of research into blended learning since the conception of online learning formed the possibility of blended learning in the early 1990s. The theme of this paper is blended learning in mainstream disciplinary communities. In particular, the paper reports on findings from the last two decades which looked…

A heterogeneous elastomer blend is described, consisting of at least two elastomer components which are cross-linkable by irradiation and having a stabilized morphology formed by subjecting the blend to high energy radiation to a point from below to slightly above the gel dose of the blend. (author)

Blobtrees are volume representations particularly useful for models which require smooth blending. When blending is applied to two or more Blobtree models, extra volume will be created in between the two surfaces to form a smooth connection. Although it is easy to apply blending, it is hard to

Fibrous filter media in the form of non-woven filters have been used extensively in water treatment as pre-filters or to support the medium that does the separation. Lignocellulosic such as empty fruit bunches have potential to be used as a low cost filter media as they represent unused resources, widely available and are environmentally friendly. Laboratory filtration tests were performed to investigate the potential application of empty fruit bunches that enriched with chitosan as a fiber filter media to remove suspended solids, oil and grease, and organics in terms of chemical oxygen demand from palm oil mill effluent. The present paper studies the effect of chitosan concentration on the filter media performance. Bench-scaled experiment results indicated that pre-treatment using the fiber filtration system removed up to 67.3% of total suspended solid, 65.1% of oil and grease and 46.1% of chemical oxygen demand. The results show that the lignocellulosic fiber filter could be a potential technology for primary wastewater treatment.

Solar-driven water evaporation is emerging as a promising solar-energy utilization process. In the present work, highly stable, flexible and washable nonwoven photothermal cloth is prepared by electrospinning for efficient and durable solar steam evaporation. The cloth is composed of polymeric nanofibers as matrix and inorganic carbon black nanoparticles encapsulated inside the matrix as light absorbing component. The photothermal cloth with an optimized carbon loading shows a desirable underwater black property, absorbing 94% of the solar spectrum and giving rise to a state-of-the-art solar energy utilization efficiency of 83% during pure water evaporation process. Owing to its compositions and special structural design, the cloth possesses anti-photothermal-component-loss property and is highly flexible and mechanically strong, chemically stable in various harsh environment such as strong acid, alkaline, organic solvent and salty water. It can be hand-washed for more than 100 times without degrading its performance and thus offers a potential mechanism for foulant cleaning during practical solar steam generation and distillation processes. The results of this work stimulate more research in durable photothermal materials aiming at real world applications.

Full Text Available Failure modes and effects analysis ( F M E A substantially facilitates the efforts of industrial manufacturers in prioritizing failures that require corrective actions to continuously improve product quality. However, the conventional approach fails to provide satisfactory explanation of the aggregate effects of a failure from different perspectives such as technical severity, economic severity, and production capacity in some practical applications. To fulfill the existing gap in the F M E A literature, this paper proposes an extension by considering associated quality cost and the capability of failure detection system as additional determinants to signify the priority level for each failure mode. The quality cost and capacity are considered as key factors for sustainable survival and development of an industrial manufacturer in the fierce competition market these days. The performance of the extended scheme was tested in an empirical case at a non-woven fabrics manufacturer. Analytical results indicate that the proposed approach outperforms the traditional one and remarkably reduces the percentage of defective fabrics from about 2.41% before the trial period to 1.13%,thus significantly reducing wastes and increasing operation efficiency, thereby providing valuable advantages to improve organizational competition power for their sustainable growth.

The objective of this study was a preliminary identification of basic groups of micro-organisms in the cross-sectional profile of geotextile filters for septic tank effluent (STE) treatment and their relations to technological conditions. Reactors with textile filters treating wastewater were investigated on a semi-technical scale. Filters were vertically situated and STE was filtered through them under hydrostatic pressure at a wastewater surface height of 7-20 cm. Filters were made of four layers of non-woven TS 20 geotextile of 0.9 mm thickness. Various groups of organisms were observed; the most abundant group comprised free-swimming and crawling ciliates, less abundant were stalked ciliates and the least numerous were nematodes. The individual counts of all groups of micro-organisms investigated during the study were variable according to time and space. The high abundance of Opercularia, a commonly observed genus of stalked ciliates, was related to the high efficiency of wastewater treatment and dissolved oxygen concentration of about 1.0 g/m3. Numbers of free-swimming and crawling ciliates had a tendency to decrease in relation to the depth of filter cross-sectional profile. The variability in counts of particular groups of organisms could be related to the local stress conditions. No correlation between identified organism count and total mass concentration in the cross-sectional filter profile was found.

Full Text Available An infant incubator is a piece of equipment common to pediatric hospitals, birthing centers and neonatal intensive care units. While the unit may serve several specific functions, it is generally used to provide a safe and stable environment for newborn infants, often those who were born prematurely or with an illness or disability that makes them especially vulnerable for the first several months of life. The objective of this research was to gain a better understanding of New Approach for a Bio-Nonwoven fabrics and infant's incubator in terms of the specific materials as MaterBi/PCL® as Bioplastic and the elements of comfort, drivers associated with it and its waste biodegradation by different methods. Shortly after birth, the beginning in first hours of life babies with neonatal, a byproduct of the red blood cells decomposition. Many convenient features to consider with tow basic disposable eyes` swathe and diapers on infant’s incubator options: cloth of basic disposable eyes` swathe and diapers, with their end use properties. The form design of eyes` swathe® and diapers® shapes, for infant’s incubator stage then consider convenience, cost, and environmental waste.

Full Text Available This paper deals with the method which calculates a filtration efficiency of nonwoven textiles from scattered light intensity by seeding particles. Thefiltration efficiency is commonly measured by particle counters. Samples of liquid or gas are taken during a test in front of and behind a filtration material. The concentration of particles is measured and the filtration efficiency is calculated. The filtration efficiency does not have to be uniform in itswhole surface. The uniformity of filtration is another indicator of a quality of filtration materials. Measurements described in this article were performed on a water filtration setup which enables optical access to the place where the filtration material is mounted. Pictures of illuminated seeding particles are made by a laser sheet and a camera. Visualisation of the filtration process enables measuring of the efficiency of separation versus time and also versus two-dimensional position in case of use of a traverse mechanism. The filtration textiles were tested by 1 μm seeding particles. Mean value of light intensity and number of bright pixels in evaluative areas during image analysis were obtained. On the basis of these data, the filtration efficiency iscalculated. The best image analysis method was chosen.

Full Text Available Small water bodies, for example garden ponds, play many functions in the environment, including biocenotic, hydrological, climatic, sozological, landfill-creative, and aesthetic. Due to their small size, these reservoirs are sensitive to external and internal factors, they are also a common natural contaminants receivers. Nonwoven filters have been investigated for several years as a useful device for treatment of domestic wastewater pre-treated in a septic tank. The aim of this study was to verify the possibility of using this type of filters for water originating from small water body purification. The effectiveness of filters were tested on the water originating from the garden pond, contained high levels of nutrients and intensive algal bloom. Research was carried out on three filters (each filter consisted of four geotextile TS 20 layers. Basic water quality indicators: total suspended solids, turbidity, COD and BOD5, temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen were measured. The research results can be considered as satisfactory in terms of mechanical treatment (removal of turbidity and total suspended solids. An important positive effect of the filters was the oxygenation of the treated water, which is especially important for fish.

The thermal conductive properties, including the thermal diffusivity and resultant thermal conductivity, of nonwoven nanocellulose sheets were investigated by separately measuring the thermal diffusivity of the sheets in the in-plane and thickness directions with a periodic heating method. The cross-sectional area (or width) of the cellulose crystallites was the main determinant of the thermal conductive properties. Thus, the results strongly indicate that there is a crystallite size effect on phonon conduction within the nanocellulose sheets. The results also indicated that there is a large interfacial thermal resistance between the nanocellulose surfaces. The phonon propagation velocity (i.e., the sound velocity) within the nanocellulose sheets was estimated to be ∼800 m/s based on the relationship between the thermal diffusivities and crystallite widths. The resulting in-plane thermal conductivity of the tunicate nanocellulose sheet was calculated to be ∼2.5 W/mK, markedly higher than other plastic films available for flexible electronic devices.

Full Text Available Blown bitumen (110/10 was mixed with heavy vacuum slops (H.V.S, 60/70 penetration grade bitumen and recycled isotactic polypropylene (iPP at different levels. The resulting resins were used to impregnate non-woven poly(ethylene terephthalate fibers to form composites. The modulus and penetration grade of the resulting bituminous resins were determined. It was found that these bituminous resins drastically affect the modulus of the composites formed by low-Young’s modulus fibers such as polyesters. Consequently, interactions between resin and fibers and the correlation length of asphalthenes (in absence of iPP and interdiffused coalescence and segregated network of asphalthenes (in presence of iPP result in a non-linear behavior of composite’s modulus. The behavior of the composites with or without iPP is controlled by resin toughness and resin interactions with the fiber through the viscosity. Comparison of the experimental composite modulus data with the theoretical modulus data revealed that the Takayanangi’s model best predicts the behavior of these composites. The adjustment factors of this model were reported and proposed as an indication of fiber-resin interaction. It was also found that the modulus of fibers is affected by toughness, viscosity and the iPP content of the bituminous resin.

Eletrospun non-woven fibre mats prepared from ENR modified PVC were successfully fabricated at ambient temperature by electro spinning method. Liquid epoxidized natural rubber (LENR) was used because it is easier to handle compared to dried ENR. PVC was mixed with LENR based on 3 different ratios (9:1, 8:2 and 7:3). The effect of ENR on electrospinnibality of PVC was investigated.The morphologies and thermal properties of the electro span fibre mats were characterized and assessed using scanning calorimetry (DSC). The polymer solution concentration 16 aut % formed a diameter of the fibres were mainly affected by the addition of natural rubber and weight ratio of the solution. The diameter of the fibres also decreased with increasing amount of LENR in the solution. Thermal degradation involved two-step degradation with the first degradation representing the dehydro chlorination of PVC to form polyene and followed by the decomposition of LENR and the polyene.Addition of LENR into the sample caused the T g of electro spun fibre mats of PVC/LENR to shift toward lower temperature. (author)

ILO pub-WEP pub. Working paper on the blending of traditional technology and technological change in developing countries - argues that choice of technology should be compatible with labour intensive requirements and local level management and economic conditions; considers employment creation and economic implications; concludes that technology transfer should be selective. References.

An apparatus is described for blending small particles and uniformly loading the blended particles in a receptacle. Measured volumes of various particles are simultaneously fed into a funnel to accomplish radial blending and then directed onto the apex of a conical splitter which collects the blended particles in a multiplicity of equal subvolumes. Thereafter the apparatus sequentially discharges the subvolumes for loading in a receptacle. A system for blending nuclear fuel particles and loading them into fuel rod molds is described in a preferred embodiment

Full Text Available The recycled Kevlar®/polyester/low-melting-point polyester (recycled Kevlar®/PET/LPET nonwoven geotextiles are immersed in neutral, strong acid, and strong alkali solutions, respectively, at different temperatures for four months. Their tensile strength is then tested according to various immersion periods at various temperatures, in order to determine their durability to chemicals. For the purpose of analyzing the possible factors that influence mechanical properties of geotextiles under diverse environmental conditions, the experimental results and statistical analyses are incorporated in this study. Therefore, influences of the content of recycled Kevlar® fibers, implementation of thermal treatment, and immersion periods on the tensile strength of recycled Kevlar®/PET/LPET nonwoven geotextiles are examined, after which their influential levels are statistically determined by performing multiple regression analyses. According to the results, the tensile strength of nonwoven geotextiles can be enhanced by adding recycled Kevlar® fibers and thermal treatment.

Full Text Available Filtering nonwovens produced with melt-blown technology are one of the most basic materials used in the construction of respiratory protective equipment (RPE against harmful aerosols, including bio- and nanoaerosols. The improvement of their filtering properties can be achieved by the development of quasi-permanent electric charge on the fibres. Usually corona discharge method is utilized for this purpose. In the presented study, it was assumed that the low-temperature plasma treatment could be applied as an alternative method for the manufacturing of conventional electret nonwovens for the RPE construction. Low temperature plasma treatment of polypropylene nonwovens was carried out with various process gases (argon, nitrogen, oxygen or air in a wide range of process parameters (gas flow velocity, time of treatment and power supplied to the reactor electrodes. After the modification, nonwovens were evaluated in terms of filtration efficiency of paraffin oil mist. The stability of the modification results was tested after 12 months of storage and after conditioning at elevated temperature and relative humidity conditions. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy and ATR-IR spectroscopy were used to assess changes in surface topography and chemical composition of the fibres. The modification of melt-blown nonwovens with nitrogen, oxygen and air plasma did not result in a satisfactory improvement of the filtration efficiency. In case of argon plasma treatment, up to 82% increase of filtration efficiency of paraffin oil mist was observed in relation to untreated samples. This effect was stable after 12 months of storage in normal conditions and after thermal conditioning in (70 ± 3°C for 24 h. The use of low-temperature plasma treatment was proven to be a promising improvement direction of filtering properties of nonwovens used for the protection of respiratory tract against harmful aerosols.

behind DBR is that new knowledge is generated through processes that simultaneously develop, test and improve a design, in this case, an educational design (1) The main principles used in the project is blended learning and flipped learning (2). …"I definitely learn best in practice, but the theory...... in working with the assignments in the classroom."... External assesor, observer and interviewer Based on the different evaluations, the conclusion are that the blended learning approach combined with the ‘flipped classroom’ is a very good way to learn and apply the anatomy, both for the students......The aim of the project was to bridge the gap between theory and practice by working more collaboratively, both peer-to-peer and between student and lecturer. Furthermore the aim was to create active learning environments. The methodology of the project is Design-Based Research (DBR). The idea...

We have recently developed a new theoretical approach to the study of polymer liquids. The theory is based on the ''reference interaction site model'' (RISM theory) of Chandler and Andersen, which has been successful in describing the structure of small molecule liquids. We have recently extended our polymer RISM theory to the case of polymer blends. In the present investigation we have applied this theory to two special binary blends: (1) the athermal mixture where we isolate structural effects, and (2) the isotopic mixture in which structurally identical polymer chains interact with dissimilar attractive interactions. By studying these two special cases we are able to obtain insights into the molecular factors which control the miscibility in polymer mixtures. 18 refs., 2 figs

Vitrification of tank wastes to form glass is a technique that will be used for the disposal of high-level waste at Hanford. Process and storage economics show that minimizing the total number of glass logs produced is the key to keeping cost as low as possible. The amount of glass produced can be reduced by blending of the wastes. The optimal way to combine the tanks to minimize the vole of glass can be determined from a discrete blend calculation. However, this problem results in a combinatorial explosion as the number of tanks increases. Moreover, the property constraints make this problem highly nonconvex where many algorithms get trapped in local minima. In this paper the authors examine the use of different combinatorial optimization approaches to solve this problem. A two-stage approach using a combination of simulated annealing and nonlinear programming (NLP) is developed. The results of different methods such as the heuristics approach based on human knowledge and judgment, the mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) approach with GAMS, and branch and bound with lower bound derived from the structure of the given blending problem are compared with this coupled simulated annealing and NLP approach

The objective of this study was preliminary identification of heterotrophic and ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) cell concentration in the cross-sectional profile of geotextile filters for wastewater treatment. Filters of thicknesses 3.6 and 7.2 mm, made of non-woven textile TS20, were supplied with septic tank effluent and intermittently dosed and filtered under hydrostatic pressure. The cumulative loads of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total solids were about 1.36 and 1.06 kg/cm2, respectively. The filters under analysis reached a relatively high removal efficiency for organic pollution 70-90% for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and 60-85% for COD. The ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency level proved to be unstable (15-55%). Biomass samples for dry mass identification were taken from two regions: continuously flooded with wastewater and intermittently flooded with wastewater. The culturable heterotrophic bacteria were determined as colony-forming units (CFUs) on microbiological-selective media by means of the plate method. AOB and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) were examined using the FISH technique. A relatively wide range of heterotrophic bacteria was observed from 7.4×10(5)/cm2 to 3.8×10(6)/cm2 in geotextile layers. The highest concentration of heterotrophic bacteria (3.8×10(6)/cm2) was observed in the first layer of the textile filter. AOB were identified occasionally--about 8-15% of all bacteria colonizing the last filter layer, but occasionally much higher concentrations and ammonia nitrogen efficiency were achieved. Bacteria oxidizing nitrite to nitrate were not observed. The relation of total and organic fraction of biomass to culturable heterotrophic bacteria was also found.

Full Text Available This work describes the development of an environmental friendly functionalized polypropylene nonwoven geotextile (PP in order to trap heavy metals in sediments and sludges. Chitosan was chosen as the sorbent because of its ability to trap heavy metals, of its natural origin (from shells, and of its low cost. PP was first functionalized with acrylic acid using a cold plasma process, in order to bring some reactive carboxylic functions onto the surface. Chitosan was then covalently grafted on the acrylic acid modified polypropylene. The functionalized surfaces were characterized by FTIR (Fourier Transform InfraRed and chitosan was thus proven to be grafted. The ability of the functionalized textile to trap heavy metals was then investigated. Copper was chosen as the model heavy metal, and artificial solutions of CuSO4 were prepared for the experiments. Sorption studies among the concentration of copper in polluted solutions at 20°C were carried out with PP-g-AA-chitosan (Polypropylene-grafted-Acrylic acid-chitosan in order to evaluate the maximum of absorption of this surface: the textile can chelate copper increasingly with the initial copper concentration until 800 ppm where it reaches a plateau at about 30 mg/L. The effects of pH and of the ionic strength (absorption in a NaCl containing solution were finally investigated. The trapping of Cu2+ decreases slowly when the ionic strength increases. For a seawater-like NaCl concentration of 30g/L, the textile still chelates about 20 mg/L of Cu2+. Finally, the optimum pH to trap the maximum amount of copper was determined to be 4.75, which corresponds to the optimum pH for the solubility of the chitosan.

Blended source arrays are historically configured with equal source units, such as broadband vibrators (land) and broadband air-gun arrays (marine). I refer to this concept as homogeneous blending. I have proposed to extend the blending concept to inhomogeneous blending, meaning that a blended

One-dimensional piezoelectric nanomaterials have attracted great attention in recent years for their possible applications in mechanical energy scavenging devices. However, it is difficult to control the structural diameter, length, and density of these fibers fabricated by micro/nano-technologies. This work presents a hollow cylindrical near-field electrospinning (HCNFES) process to address production and performance issues encountered previously in either far-field electrospinning (FFES) or near-field electrospinning (NFES) processes. Oriented polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fibers in the form of nonwoven fabric have been directly written on a glass tube for aligned piezoelectricity. Under a high in situ electrical poling field and strong mechanical stretching (the tangential speed on the glass tube collector is about 1989.3 mm s −1 ), the HCNFES process is able to uniformly deposit large arrays of PVDF fibers with good concentrations of piezoelectric β-phase. The nonwoven fiber fabric (NFF) is transferred onto a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate and fixed at both ends using copper foil electrodes as a flexible textile-fiber-based PVDF energy harvester. Repeated stretching and releasing of PVDF NFF with a strain of 0.05% at 7 Hz produces a maximum peak voltage and current at 76 mV and 39 nA, respectively. (paper)

A metal ion adsorbent was developed from a nonwoven fabric trunk material composed of both natural and synthetic polymers. A pre-irradiation technique was used for emulsion grafting of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto an electron beam irradiated abaca/polyester nonwoven fabric (APNWF). The dependence of degree of grafting (Dg), calculated from the weight of APNWF before and after grafting, on absorbed dose, reaction time and monomer concentration were evaluated. After 50 kGy irradiation with 2 MeV electron beam and subsequent 3 h reaction with an emulsion consisting of 5% GMA and 0.5% polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (Tween 20) surfactant in deionized water at 40 °C, a grafted APNWF with a Dg greater than 150% was obtained. The GMA-grafted APNWF was further modified by reaction with ethylenediamine (EDA) in isopropyl alcohol at 60 °C to introduce amine functional groups. After a 3 h reaction with 50% EDA, an amine group density of 2.7 mmole/gram adsorbent was achieved based from elemental analysis. Batch adsorption experiments were performed using Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions in aqueous solutions with initial pH of 5 at 30 °C. Results show that the adsorption capacity of the grafted adsorbent for Cu2+ is four times higher than Ni2+ ions.

On the basis of a large-scale project implementing information and communication technology at Roskilde University, Denmark, this paper discusses ways of introducing technology-based blended learning in academic life. We examine some examples of use of systems for computer-mediated collabora......-tive learning and work in Danish Open University education as well as in courses on campus. We further suggest some possi-bilities for using technology in innovative ways, arguing that innovation is to be found, not in isolated instantiations of sys-tems, but in the form of a deliberate integration of all...... relevant ICT-features as a whole into the learning environment....

learning. 4. Blended learning can contribute to supporting and improving efficiency of educational efforts. This can for instance be done through programmes for several classes by using video conferencing, allocating traditional face to face teaching to synchronous and asynchronous study activities produce...... digital materials which can be employed didactically and reused by the teachers. This can also mean that the particular competencies which teaches have in Svendborg can be used at other locations in UCL and disseminated to a larger group of students without further costs. Educational Innovation...

The growth of online learning in the K-12 sector is occurring both remotely through virtual schools and on campuses through blended learning. In emerging fields, definitions are important because they create a shared language that enables people to talk about the new phenomena. The blended-learning taxonomy and definitions presented in this paper…

Blended learning is an innovative concept that embraces the advantages of both traditional teaching in the classroom and ICT supported learning including both offline learning and online learning. It has scope for collaborative learning; constructive learning and computer assisted learning (CAI). Blended learning needs rigorous efforts, right…

The authors make the case that implementation of a successful blended learning program requires alignment of institutional, faculty, and student goals. Reliable and robust infrastructure must be in place to support students and faculty. Continuous evaluation can effectively track the impact of blended learning on students, faculty, and the…

Blended learning appears to facilitate learner empowerment more readily than either face-to-face or fully online courses. This contention is supported by a review of literature on the affordances of blended learning that support Thomas and Velthouse's (1990) four conditions of empowerment: choice, meaningfulness, competence, and impact. Blended…

Even though many of teachers do not have technology-rich classrooms, the rapidly evolving education landscape increasingly requires them to incorporate technology to customize student learning. Blended learning, with its mix of technology and traditional face-to-face instruction, is a great approach. Blended learning combines classroom learning…

Blended learning is often associated with student-oriented learning in which students have varying degrees of control over their learning process. However, the current notion of blended learning is often a teacher- oriented approach in which the teacher identifies the used learning technologies and

Full Text Available This study examined faculty members’ perceptions of blended teaching from several perspectives. A total of 73 faculty members in Turkish Higher Education context participated in the study by completing an online survey that combined quantitative and qualitative approaches. Based on a data analysis, the faculty members’ perceptions were sorted into six categories: (a satisfaction with blended teaching, (b perceived impact on the role of the faculty, (c perceived impact on student learning, (d perceived impact on student motivation, (e advantages of blended teaching, and (f disadvantages of blended teaching. Findings indicated that faculty members were likely to agree that blended teaching provides a high degree of satisfaction and that it requires more time and commitment from the faculty. The faculty members perceived that blended teaching improves student learning and, to some extent, improves motivation. The faculty members also emphasized the importance of institutional support and the use of technology to mitigate student problems. This study presents these faculty members’ perceptions, which are helpful for those planning to implement a blended teaching approach, and makes suggestions for trouble-shooting and taking advantage of the opportunities in a blended environment successfully.

Radiation-induced graft copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and acrylic acid (AA) mixture was investigated on polypropylene nonwoven fabric to develop a thermosensitive material. The grafting was carried out using methanol, acetone and butanone as homopolymerization inhibitor in the reaction medium. Butanone was observed to give the maximum grafting. It was observed that the grafting is significantly influenced by the reaction conditions, such as radiation dose, monomer concentration, monomer ratio, solvent composition and reaction temperature. The degree of grafting increased as the AA and NIPAAm concentration in the reaction medium increased. The degree of grafting increased as the AA fraction in the NIPAAm/AA mixture increased. The temperature dependence of the grafting process is very much governed by the thermosensitive nature of the grafted chains right from the stage when initial grafting has taken place.

Radiation-induced graft copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and acrylic acid (AA) mixture was investigated on polypropylene nonwoven fabric to develop a thermosensitive material. The grafting was carried out using methanol, acetone and butanone as homopolymerization inhibitor in the reaction medium. Butanone was observed to give the maximum grafting. It was observed that the grafting is significantly influenced by the reaction conditions, such as radiation dose, monomer concentration, monomer ratio, solvent composition and reaction temperature. The degree of grafting increased as the AA and NIPAAm concentration in the reaction medium increased. The degree of grafting increased as the AA fraction in the NIPAAm/AA mixture increased. The temperature dependence of the grafting process is very much governed by the thermosensitive nature of the grafted chains right from the stage when initial grafting has taken place.

Safety is one of the most factors for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this work, a novel kind of ceramic separator with high safety insurance is proposed. We fabricated the core-shell nanofiber separators for LIBs by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of 30 nm Al2O3 on the electrospinning nonwoven fiber of polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP). The separators show a pretty high heat resistance up to 200 °C without any shrinkage, an excellent fire-resistant property and a wide electrochemical window. Besides, with higher uptake and ionic conductivity, cells assembled with the novel separator shows better electrochemical performance. The ALD produced separators exhibit great potential in elaborate products like 3C communications and in energy field with harsh requirements for safety such as electric vehicles. The application of ALD on polymer fiber membranes brings a new strategy and opportunity for improving the safety of the advanced LIBs.

Polyanion ligands such as acrylic acid (AA) and heparin were grafted on PBT Nonwoven Fabrics (PBTNF) to study their effect on the adsorption of low density lipoprotein (LDL). These modified PBTNFs were characterized by Horizontal Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy. The blood compatibilities of the modified PBTNFs were examined using in vitro hemolysis rate (HR), platelet adhesion, total protein (TP) and activated partial thromboplastin time. The results showed that direct immobilized heparin could improve PBTNF-PAA's blood compatibility and decrease the adsorption capability of useful high density lipoprotein, but would possess so low bioactivity that could not further improve the absorption of LDL and TC. Since the PBTNF-PAA55-Heparin adsorbent had quite good adsorption selectivity for these proteins, it can be an excellent candidate for depletion of LDL with good blood compatibility.

A temperature-sensitive hydrogel was successfully grafted on the surface of non-woven poly(propylene) materials. This was carried out by the application of unmodified β-cyclodextrin and N-isopropylacrylamide monomer in order to develop new functional hydrogels for textile science and technology......(N-isopropylacrylamide) and β-cyclodextrin components on the surface of the textile. Unmodified β-cyclodextrin content was estimated by the use of elemental analysis to be 97 µg/cm2. The water uptake measurements and differential scanning calorimetry analyses showed that the hydrogel maintained its temperature...... of smart textiles which possess the temperature-sensitive property of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and the ability of inclusion complex formation with guest molecules due to the presence of unmodified β-cyclodextrin in the hydrogel network....

Radiation-induced RAFT polymerization technique was applied to synthesize well-defined molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) of erythromycin (ERY). Methacrylic acid (MAA) was grafted onto porous polyethylene (PE)/polypropylene (PP) nonwoven fabrics, under γ-irradiation by employing 2-pheny-2-propyl benzodithioate as the RAFT agent and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the crosslinker. MAA/erythromycin ratios of 2/1, 4/1, 6/1 were tested to optimize the synthesis of MIPs. The highest binding capacity was encountered at a MAA/ERY ratio of 4/1. Non-imprinted polymers (NIPs) were also synthesized in the absence of ERY. The MIPs synthesized by RAFT method presented a better binding capacity compared to those prepared by conventional method where no RAFT agent was employed.

Highlights: → Microporous-structured PVdF-HFP/PET composite nonwoven separators for Li-batteries. → Well-developed microporous structure and liquid electrolyte wettability. → Provision of facile ion transport and suppressed growth of cell impedance. → Superior cell performance at high-voltages/high-current densities. - Abstract: We demonstrate potential application of a new composite non-woven separator, which is comprised of a phase inversion-controlled, microporous polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene (PVdF-HFP) gel polymer electrolyte and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) non-woven support, to high-voltage and high-power lithium-ion batteries. In comparison to a commercialized polyethylene (PE) separator, the composite non-woven separator exhibits distinct improvements in microporous structure and liquid electrolyte wettability. Based on the understanding of the composite non-woven separator, cell performances of the separator at challenging charge/discharge conditions are investigated and discussed in terms of ion transport of the separator and AC impedance of the cell. The aforementioned advantageous features of the composite non-woven separator play a key role in providing facile ion transport and suppressing growth of cell impedance during cycling, which in turn contribute to superior cell performances at harsh charge/discharge conditions such as high voltages and high current densities.

A method for making a blended powder mixture, whereby two or more powders are mixed in a container with a liquid selected from nitrogen or short-chain alcohols, where at least one of the powders has an angle of repose greater than approximately 50 degrees. The method is useful in preparing blended powders of Li halides and MgO for use in the preparation of thermal battery separators.

.... In this work, the incorporation of HBPs in thermoplastic blends was investigated. Several volume fractions of hydroxyl functionalized hyperbranched polyesters were melt blended with nonreactive polystyrene (PS...

Full Text Available Blended learning as a combination of classroom teaching and e-learning has become a widely represented standard in employee and management development of companies. The exploratory survey “Blended Learning@University” conducted in 2008 investigated the integration of blended learning in higher education. The results of the survey show that the majority of participating academic teachers use blended learning in single courses, but not as a program of study and thus do not exploit the core performance potential of blended learning. According to the study, the main driver of blended learning performance is its embeddedness in higher education. Integrated blended programs of study deliver the best results. In blended learning, learning infrastructure (in terms of software, culture, skills, funding, content providing, etc. does not play the role of a performance driver but serves as an enabler for blended learning.

Healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) are responsible for substantial patient morbidity, mortality and economic cost. Infection control strategies for reducing rates of transmission include the use of nonwoven wipes to remove pathogenic bacteria from frequently touched surfaces. Wiping is a dynamic process that involves physicochemical mechanisms to detach and transfer bacteria to fibre surfaces within the wipe. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which systematic changes in fibre surface energy and nano-roughness influence removal of bacteria from an abiotic polymer surface in dry wiping conditions, without liquid detergents or disinfectants. Nonwoven wipe substrates composed of two commonly used fibre types, lyocell (cellulosic) and polypropylene, with different surface energies and nano-roughnesses, were manufactured using pilot-scale nonwoven facilities to produce samples of comparable structure and dimensional properties. The surface energy and nano-roughness of some lyocell substrates were further adjusted by either oxygen (O2) or hexafluoroethane (C2F6) gas plasma treatment. Static adpression wiping of an inoculated surface under dry conditions produced removal efficiencies of between 9.4% and 15.7%, with no significant difference (p < 0.05) in the relative removal efficiencies of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus or Enterococcus faecalis. However, dynamic wiping markedly increased peak wiping efficiencies to over 50%, with a minimum increase in removal efficiency of 12.5% and a maximum increase in removal efficiency of 37.9% (all significant at p < 0.05) compared with static wiping, depending on fibre type and bacterium. In dry, dynamic wiping conditions, nonwoven wipe substrates with a surface energy closest to that of the contaminated surface produced the highest E. coli removal efficiency, while the associated increase in fibre nano-roughness abrogated this trend with S. aureus and E. faecalis.

Full Text Available There are many new words from the social media such as Netizen, Trentop, and Delcon. Those words include in blending. Blending is one of word formations combining two clipped words to form a brand new word. The researchers are interested in analyzing blend words used in the social media such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Blackberry Messenger. This research aims at (1 finding blend words used in the social media (2 describing kinds of blend words used in social media (3 describing the process of blend word formation used in the social media. This research uses some theories dealing with definition of blending and kinds of blending. This research belongs to descriptive qualitative research. Data of the research are English blend words used in social media. Data sources of this research are websites consisting of some English words used in social media and some social media users as the informant. Techniques of data collecting in this research are observation and simak catat. Observation is by observing some websites consisting of some English words used in social media. Simak catat is done by taking some notes on the data and encoding in symbols such as No/Blend words/Kinds of Blending. The researchers use source triangulation to check the data from the researchers with the informant and theory triangulation to determine kinds of blending and blend word formation in social media. There are115 data of blend words. Those data consists of 65 data of Instagram, 47 data of Twitter, 1 datum of Facebook, and 2 data of Blackberry Messenger. There are 2 types of blending used in social media;108 data of blending with clipping and 7 data of blending with overlapping. There are 10 ways of blend word formation found in this research.

In this research, conducting poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)–poly(styrenesulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) aqueous dispersion was synthesized at first via chemical oxidative polymerization and followed by mixing it with poly(styrene-r-butyl acrylate) P(St-BA) aqueous latex, creating a conductive material with outstanding stretchability. The elastic conductive composite were then film formed on the glass and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) nonwoven fabric substrate by spin coating and dip coating, respectively. Composite films with various contents of PEDOT:PSS polymer (10–100 wt.%) had been prepared. From the conductivity measurements, the conductivity was still kept as high as 88 S cm −1 even the PEDOT:PSS content was lowered to 10 wt.%. Furthermore, the elasticity of conductive films on the PET-nonwoven fabric substrate was evaluated by the 180° bending test repeating 100 times. With introducing soft P(St-BA) material in the PEDOT:PSS phase, the surface resistance increased merely 3–6 times after bending 100 times, while the surface resistance for pure PEDOT:PSS film could reach 18–20 times. - Highlights: • Flexible PEDOT:PSS based material had been coated on the PET-nonwoven fabrics. • The integrity of conductive circuit on fabrics was evaluated by bending test. • With adding rubbery material, the flexibility of PEDOT:PSS coating was enhanced

In this research, conducting poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)–poly(styrenesulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) aqueous dispersion was synthesized at first via chemical oxidative polymerization and followed by mixing it with poly(styrene-r-butyl acrylate) P(St-BA) aqueous latex, creating a conductive material with outstanding stretchability. The elastic conductive composite were then film formed on the glass and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) nonwoven fabric substrate by spin coating and dip coating, respectively. Composite films with various contents of PEDOT:PSS polymer (10–100 wt.%) had been prepared. From the conductivity measurements, the conductivity was still kept as high as 88 S cm{sup −1} even the PEDOT:PSS content was lowered to 10 wt.%. Furthermore, the elasticity of conductive films on the PET-nonwoven fabric substrate was evaluated by the 180° bending test repeating 100 times. With introducing soft P(St-BA) material in the PEDOT:PSS phase, the surface resistance increased merely 3–6 times after bending 100 times, while the surface resistance for pure PEDOT:PSS film could reach 18–20 times. - Highlights: • Flexible PEDOT:PSS based material had been coated on the PET-nonwoven fabrics. • The integrity of conductive circuit on fabrics was evaluated by bending test. • With adding rubbery material, the flexibility of PEDOT:PSS coating was enhanced.

Full Text Available Blended learning research and practice have been areas of growth for two decades in Canada, with over 95% of Canadian higher education institutions involved in some form of blended learning. Despite strong evidence based research and practice blended learning, for the most part, has remained at sidelined in Canadian universities. The article argues the need for blended learning to situate itself within the timely and crucial Higher Education Reform (HER agenda. By aligning the affordances of blended learning with the components of HER, blended learning can clearly serve as an enabler for HER.

Highlights: • Performance of the hollow cylindrical near-field electrospinning (HCNFES). • Well-aligned self-assembled PVDF nonwoven fiber fabrics. • Highly durable wearable sensors. • The mechanical characterization of HCNFES piezoelectric NFFs. • The formation of β-form extended-chain crystallites in the PVDF nanofibers. - Abstract: The mechanical characterization of the electrospinning polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nonwoven fiber fabrics (NFFs) doped with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was investigated. Piezoelectric composite nanofibers of the PVDF/MWCNTs were directly electrospun by the hollow cylindrical near-field electrospinning (HCNFES) without any post-poling treatment. We have made the HCNFES NFFs consisted of high-orderly arranged nanofiber assemblies for further characterizing the effect of MWCNTs filling PVDF nanofibers. An in situ electrical poling and high uniaxial stretching imparted on the polymer jet during the HCNFES process, which naturally align the dipoles in the PVDF crystals and promote the formation of the polar β-crystalline phase within the fibers. Moreover, the reinforcement of the HCNFES PVDF nanofibers indicated the improvement in mechanical properties and the degree of high oriented extended-chain crystallites through adding adequate contents of MWCNTs. In the case of alignment of the all-trans polymer chains in the vicinity of MWCNTs along the fiber axis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed the strongest diffraction peak of the β-crystalline phase. In the comparison of the near-field electrospinning (NFES), the HCNFES nanofibers with smooth surface and smaller diameter can easily form high density structural NFFs. After nano-indentation and tensile strength measurements, the results indicated that the mechanical properties of the HCNFES NFFs are better than the NFES ones. When 16 wt% PVDF solution doped with 0.03 wt% MWCNTs, the results reveal that Young's modulus, hardness, yield stress, yield strain

This chapter reviews institutional approaches to blended learning and the ways in which institutions support faculty in the intentional redesign of courses to produce optimal learning. The chapter positions blended learning as a strategic opportunity to engage in organizational learning.

This chapter discusses the morphology development of immiscible binary polymer blends. It first describes morphology development in droplet-matrix structures, the dynamics of fibrillar structures and cocontinuous structures. The chapter then considers binary immiscible polymer blends, such systems

The effect of irradiation on the physical properties of Polyvinyl Chloride / Epoxidised Natural Rubber Blends (PVC/ENR blends) were investigated. The enhancement in tensile strength, elongation at break, hardness and aging properties of the blends have confirmed the positive effect of irradiation on the blends. It is evident from gel fraction and infra red spectroscopic studies that the blends of PVC and ENR cross-linked upon irradiation. The results also revealed that at any blend composition, the enhancement in properties depend on irradiation dose which controls the degree of radiation induced cross-linking. In an attempt to maximize the constructive effect of irradiation, the influence of various additives such as stabilizers, radiation sensitizers, fillers and processing aids on the blend properties were studied. The changes in blend properties upon irradiation with the presents of above additives were also presented in this paper

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The blended Rain Rate (RR) product is derived from multiple sensors/satellites. The blended products were merged from polar-orbiting and geostationary satellite...

A system for providing an adjustable blend of fluids to an application process is disclosed. The system uses a source of a first fluid flowing through at least one tube that is permeable to a second fluid and that is disposed in a source of the second fluid to provide the adjustable blend. The temperature of the second fluid is not regulated, and at least one calibration curve is used to predict the volumetric mixture ratio of the second fluid with the first fluid from the permeable tube. The system typically includes a differential pressure valve and a backpressure control valve to set the flow rate through the system.

blending is now a popular technology for large realtime texture synthesis .Nevertheless, creating blend map during rendering is time and computation consuming work. In this paper, we exploited a method to create a kind of blend tile which can be tile together seamlessly. Note that blend map is in fact a kind of image, which is Markov Random Field, contains multiresolution signals, while wavelet is a powerful way to process multiresolution signals, we use wavelet to process the traditional ble...

This article is a theoretical study of the self-presentation strategies employed by higher education students online; it examines student identity work via profile information and avatars in a blended learning environment delivered through social networking sites and virtual worlds. It argues that students are faced with difficult choices when…

The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility of using non-woven materials (NWM) from waste fibers for oil spill cleanup and their subsequent recovery. Manufacture of textile and readymade products generates a significant amount of solid waste. A major part of it is deposited in landfills or disposed of uncontrollably. This slowly degradable waste causes environmental problems. In the present study are used two types of NWM obtained by methods where waste fibers are utilized. Thus, real textile products are produced (blankets) with which spills are covered and removed by adsorption. These products are produced by two methods: the strengthening of the covering from recovered fibers is made by entanglement when needles of special design pass through layers (needle-punching) or by stitching with thread (technology Maliwatt). Regardless of the random nature of the fiber mixture, the investigated products are good adsorbents of petroleum products. The nature of their structure (a significant void volume and developed surface) leads to a rapid recovery of the spilled petroleum products without sinking of the fiber layer for the sampled times. The used NWM can be burned under special conditions.

The synthesis of butyl oleate was studied in this paper with immobilized lipase. Five types of membrane were used as support to immobilize Rhizopus arrhizus lipase by following a procedure combining filtration and protein cross-linking. Results showed that hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethene membrane with nonwoven fabric (HO-PTFE-NF) was the favorite choice in terms of higher protein loading, activity, and specific activity of immobilized lipase. The factors including solvent polarity, lipase dosage, concentration, and molar ratio of substrate and temperature were found to have significant influence on conversion. Results showed that hexane (logP = 3.53) was a favorable solvent for the biosynthesis of butyl oleate in our studies. The optimal conditions were experimentally determined of 50 U immobilized lipase, molar ratio of oleic acid to butanol of 1.0, substrate concentration of 0.12 mol/L, temperature of 37 °C, and reaction time of 2 h. The conversion was beyond 91% and decreased slightly after 18 cycles. Lipase immobilization can improve the conversion and the repeated use of immobilized lipase relative to free lipase.

In modern buildings, humidity control is an essential constituent of the building management, where spray-type humidifying element is widely used. For the spray-type element, there is a concern about the durability and the resistance to formation of mold. In this study, we made new humidifying elements were made using non-woven fabric rayon/PET and investigated the moisture transfer and pressure drop characteristics. Samples consisted of two different rayon compositions (30 % and 50 %). From the results the sample with 50 % rayon and 50 % PET showed superior moisture transfer performance than the sample with 50 % Kraft fiber and 50 % PET, probably due to better water absorption characteristics of rayon over Kraft fiber. However, pressure drop of the rayon/PET sample was larger than Kraft fiber/PET sample due to increased surface roughness. The moisture transfer performance of the rayon/PET sample deteriorated as the rayon content decreased. The efficiency (j{sub m}/{sup f}1/3) was the largest for rayon/PET (5:5) sample, followed by Kraft fiber/PET and rayon/PET (3:7) sample. The efficiency of commercially available Glasdek was much lower than other samples.

Polylactic acid (PLA) nonwoven fabrics are treated with atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma to improve surface wettability. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) show that micro- to nano-scale textures appear on the treated PLA surfaces dependent on the treatment time. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis reveals that the DBD plasma treatments result in decreased carbon contents and increased oxygen contents as well as slightly increased nitrogen contents. The water contact angle decreases sharply with the increase of the DBD plasma treatment time. The super hydrophilic PLA surfaces (the water contact angle reached 0°) are obtained when the treatment time is longer than 90 s. Ninety days after the DBD plasma treatment, the XPS analysis shows that Csbnd O/Csbnd N and Cdbnd O/Osbnd Cdbnd O percentages decline for all treatment groups. However, the water contact angle is kept constant at 0° for the groups treated above 90 s, which could be due to the oxidized nano-structured layer on the DBD plasma treated PLA surfaces.

The Clayton Christiansen Institute maintains a database of more than 400 schools across the United States that have implemented some form of blended learning, which combines online learning with brick-and-mortar classrooms. Data the Institute has collected over the past six months suggests three trends as this model continues to evolve and mature.…

In traditional seismic surveys, the firing time between shots is such that the shot records do not interfere in time. However, in the concept of blended acquisition, the records do overlap, allowing denser source sampling and wider azimuths in an economic way. A denser shot sampling and wider

Rocked by the one-two punch of rising energy costs and tougher pollution controls, a growing number of companies are looking to radiation crosslinking as a cheaper, cleaner alternative to heat and costly chemical crosslinking agents such as peroxides. With the development of larger, more powerful electron beam machines it is now possible to irradiate parts as thick as 400 mils in a single pass. Two application areas which have been investigated at our laboratory are the electron beam processing of thermoplastic elastomeric automotive parts and EPDM electrical insulation. This paper covers work carried out to develop the necessary technology base for the radiation crosslinking of ethylene propylene/polyolefin blends. Initial results indicate that EP/PE blends of electrical insulation quality cross-link quite readily when irradiated. On the other hand, EP/PP blends developed for automotive fascia require the addition of crosslinking monomers such as trimethylol propane trimethacrylate in order for crosslinking to predominate over chain scission. Crosslinking EP/PP blends improve mar resistance, flexural set and deformation at elevated temperatures. These are all key properties for automotive fascia. (author)

The influence of confinement on the steady-state morphology of two different emulsions is investigated. The blends, made from polybutene (PB) in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polybutadiene (PBD) in PDMS, are sheared between two parallel plates, mostly with a standard gap spacing of 40 m, in the

Full Text Available The main objective of this work was to improve the performance of biodiesel–methanol blends in a VCR engine by using optimized engine parameters. For optimization of the engine, operational parameters such as compression ratio, fuel blend, and load are taken as factors, whereas performance parameters such as brake thermal efficiency (Bth and brake specific fuel consumption (Bsfc and emission parameters such as carbon monoxide (CO, unburnt hydrocarbons (HC, Nitric oxides (NOx and smoke are taken as responses. Experimentation is carried out as per the design of experiments of the response surface methodology. Optimization of engine operational parameters is carried out using Derringers Desirability approach. From the results obtained it is inferred that the VCR engine has maximum performance and minimum emissions at 18 compression ratio, 5% fuel blend and at 9.03 kg of load. At this optimized operating conditions of the engine the responses such as brake thermal efficiency, brake specific fuel consumption, carbon monoxide, unburnt hydrocarbons, nitric oxide, and smoke are found to be 31.95%, 0.37 kg/kW h, 0.036%, 5 ppm, 531.23 ppm and 15.35% respectively. It is finally observed from the mathematical models and experimental data that biodiesel methanol blends have maximum efficiency and minimum emissions at optimized engine parameters.

In the face of diminishing education budgets in higher education, blended learning has been found to be a viable and effective approach to deliver high-quality, up-to-date, on-demand solutions to developing cross-curricular skills of undergraduates. However, research has also shown that blended...... learning solutions do not often live up to the potential of the approach or fail to produce the intended results because the students are not always equipped to handle the technical, psychological and organisational challenges of blended learning approaches. This project surveyed seventy-five first year...... the students’ e-readiness for an implementation of a blend-ed course design....

This report is aimed at those who are interested in data analysis and data blending. Decision making is crucial for an organization to succeed in today’s market. Data analysis is an important support activity in decision making and is applied in many industries, for example healthcare. For many years data analysts have worked on structured data in small volumes, with traditional methods such as spreadsheet. As new data sources emerged, such as social media, data is generated in higher volume,...

Highlights: ► Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and chitosan were grafted to polypropylene non-wovens. ► An easily stripped off thermo-responsive wound dressing was developed. ► The wound dressing is biocompatible, has antibacterial and wound healing abilities. ► The bigraft non-woven will be a potential wound dressing for biomedical use. - Abstract: To obtain a chitosan wound dressings with temperature-responsive characteristics, polypropylene (PP) non-woven fabric (NWF) was modified by direct current pulsed oxygen plasma-induced grafting polymerization of acrylic acid (AAc) to improve hydrophilicity and to introduce carboxylic acid groups. Conjugation of chitosan and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) followed by using water-soluble carbodiimide as a coupling agent to form a novel bigraft PP-g-chitosan-g-PNIPAAm wound dressing. The amount of chitosan and PNIPAAm grafted to PP-g-chitosan-g-PNIPAAm were 83.0 ± 4.6 μg/cm 2 and 189.5 ± 8.2 μg/cm 2 , respectively. The surface chemical composition and microstructure of the NWF were studied by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The linkages between AAc, chitosan, and PNIPAAm were confirmed with the formation of amide bonds. Physical properties of the NWF were characterized and potentials of these NWFs as wound dressings were evaluated using SD rat as the animal model. NWFs contained PNIPAAm were better than those contained only chitosan in wound healing rates and the wound areas covered by PP-g-chitosan-g-PNIPAAm wound dressings healed completely in 17 days.

Transparent resinous ultraviolet-curing type (TRUCT) Braille signs are becoming more and more popular in Japan, especially when they are printed together with visual characters. These signs are made by screen printing, a technique that can be applied to various base materials, such as paper, metal, and plastic. TRUCT Braille signs have begun to be used in public facilities, such as on tactile maps and on handrails. Naturally, it is expected that Braille beginners will utilize these signs. However, it has been pointed out that the friction between the forefinger and the base material may affect reading accuracy and speed. In this study, we developed a finger cover made of soft, thin polyester non-woven fabric to reduce friction during Braille reading. We also carried out a study to investigate the effect of its use. The subjects were 12 Braille learners with acquired visual impairment, who were asked to read randomly selected characters with and without the finger cover. The results showed that most participants could read TRUCT Braille significantly faster and more accurately with a finger cover than without it, regardless of the base material and dot height. This result suggests that wearing the finger cover enables Braille learners to read TRUCT Braille more efficiently. The finger cover can be used as a Braille reading assistance tool for Braille learners. An additional, health-related advantage of the finger cover is that the forefinger remains clean. We expect that the finger cover will be in practical use in Japan within 1 or 2 years.

A field experiment was conducted in winter season of 2015-2016 in the dry lateritic soil of Eastern India to study the effect of different thicknesses of nonwoven jute agrotextile mulches (NJATM) along with other mulches on soil health, growth and productivity of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.). The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with six treatments viz., T 1 (control, i.e. no mulching), T 2 (300 gsm NJATM), T 3 (350 gsm NJATM), T 4 (400 gsm NJATM), T 5 (rice straw) and T 6 (black polythene mulch), each of which was replicated four times. The highest average curd weight (355.25 g) and yield (8.53 t ha -1 ) of broccoli were recorded in T 3 treatment. The lowest density of broad leaved weed, sedges and grasses were recorded in T 6 treatment which was statistically at par with T 4 . All the treatments composing of NJATM increased the population of all the soil microbes except bacteria in the root rhizosphere of broccoli from their initial population. On average, the highest population of fungi (54.0 × 10 3 cfu per g) and actinomycetes (134.75 × 10 3 cfu per g) was recorded with T 3 and T 4 treatments respectively in the post-harvest soil. The soil moisture was conserved in all treatments compared to control showing highest moisture content in T 4 treatment. Organic carbon and available N, P and K contents of soil were increased in all mulch treated plots compared to control, and their initial value and their highest value were recorded in T 3 . The NJATM of 350 gsm thickness was very effective compared to other mulches in increasing the growth and productivity of broccoli by suppressing weeds, increasing moisture, microbial population and nutrient content of the lateritic soil.

The X-ray blending device comprises electric motors for vertical and horizontal blending plates, electrically connected with the output of the block for format voltages and mechanically connected with the measuring potentiometers' slides. The potentiometers are respectively connected with the data inputs of the block for format voltages, the control input of which is connected with the control block output in a mode of scanning. The data outputs of the format voltage block are connected through a buffer converter, a memory block and a decoder with the data inputs of the first and second digital-to-analog converters, the outputs of which are connected with the first inputs of the first and the second comparison circuits. The second inputs of the last are linked to the slides of the first and the second potentiometers and their inputs are connected with the data inputs of the first and the second combinational logic circuits. The output of the control block in a mode of scanning is connected with the first control inputs of the first and the second combinational logic circuits and with the control inputs of the memory block and the decoder. The second and the third control units of the first and the second combinational circuits are respectively linked with the outputs for a position determination of the vertical and horizontal blending plates from the control block in a mode of scanning. The outputs of the first and the second combinational logic circuits are respectively connected with the first and the second control bridge circuits, the control outputs of which are electrically connected with the first and the second electric motors for vertical and horizontal blending plates. 1 cl., 3 figs

The use of phased arrays is growing in the non-destructive testing industry and the trend is towards large 2D arrays, but due to limitations, it is currently not possible to record the signals from all elements, resulting in aliased data. In the past, we have presented a data interpolation scheme `beyond spatial aliasing' to overcome this aliasing. In this paper, we present a different approach: blending and deblending of data. On the hardware side, groups of receivers are blended (grouped) in only a few transmit/recording channels. This allows for transmission and recording with all elements, in a shorter acquisition time and with less channels. On the data processing side, this blended data is deblended (separated) by transforming it to a different domain and applying an iterative filtering and thresholding. Two different filtering methods are compared: f-k filtering and wavefield extrapolation filtering. The deblending and filtering methods are demonstrated on simulated experimental data. The wavefield extrapolation filtering proves to outperform f-k filtering. The wavefield extrapolation method can deal with groups of up to 24 receivers, in a phased array of 48 × 48 elements.

Full Text Available This paper describes and discusses experimentation with the use of blended learning in teaching Shakespeare. Previous iterations of the subject in a traditional lecture and tutorial format had seen a decline in student attendance and a fall in student achievement at the higher grade levels. A further complicating issue was the range of expectations from the cohort, which comprised students from Creative Writing, Drama, and Education, a factor which also highlights the cross-disciplinary nature of teaching Shakespeare. A blended learning and lectorial format was employed to facilitate small group discussion of the plays in conjunction with a wider social and historical overview. Student feedback indicated that the changes to the delivery method were received positively, although some questions do remain concerning levels of student engagement and the specific disciplinary needs of student cohorts. The findings of the teaching of this subject will translate usefully to other fields and disciplines, especially as more and more subjects take up blended learning. The findings indicate that it is not enough to take up new technologies in the teaching of a unit. The learning environment must also be rethought and reconceptualised.

In this paper I wish to apply implications of the Conceptual Blending Theory to computer games. I will analyze chosen examples and discuss them as a result of video game innovation made possible through "conceptual blending." Conceptual blending links at least......., Hell. The purpose of my approach is not so much to validate the ideas of conceptual blending theory through another field of examples (computer games) but to name and analyze characteristics of the mentioned games with the help of a given method....... integration network consisting of at least two input spaces, a generic space and a blended space as well as its governing principles consisting of composition, completion, and elaboration. With the help of these instruments I analyze computer games like Tuper Tario Tros...

Full Text Available The article examines the implementation of blended learning strategy in teacher training programs as an innovation in online learning. The blended learning idea comes from blending elements which use online technology with more traditional face-to-face teaching in the same course. The article analyses teacher training programs offered by Chernivtsi Regional Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education. Additional data were gathered through a questionnaire administered to teachers who attended training courses. The characteristics of blended learning strategy, its benefits and limitations for teacher training are supported by a review of literature. The article closes with the comparison of curriculum components (content delivery, learner activities, materials, and required competences between traditional and blended learning teacher training programs. Having obvious benefits in teacher training programs, the implementation of blended learning strategy sets some additional requirements to a learner, as well as to course instructors and lectors.

Full Text Available Though less productive than rival word-formation processes like compounding and affixation, blending is still a rich source of neologisms in French. Despite this productivity, however, blends are often seen by scholars as unpredictable, uninteresting, or both. This analysis picks up where recent studies of blending have left off, using Correspondence Theory and a bundle of segmental constraints to deal with this phenomenon as it pertains to French. More specifically, it shows that blending is the result of a single output standing in correspondence with two or more other outputs, and that we do not need to refer to prosodic information, which is crucial in accounts of blending in languages with lexical stress like English, to account for the process in French. The analysis also differs from previous studies in that it locates blending exclusively within the phonology, leaving its morphological and semantic characteristics to be handled by other processes in the grammar.

Highlights: • We chose 8-component hydrocarbon mixture as a model gasoline, and defined the molar mass of gasoline. • We proposed an evaporation model assuming a 2-component mixture of gasoline and ETBE. • We predicted the change in the vapor pressure of ETBE-blended gasoline by evaporation. • The vapor pressures were measured and compared as a means of verifying the model. • We presented the method for predicting flash points of the ETBE-blended gasoline. - Abstract: To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming, production of gasoline blended with ethyl tert-buthyl ether (ETBE) is increasing annually. The flash point of ETBE is higher than that of gasoline, and blending ETBE into gasoline will change the flash point and the vapor pressure. Therefore, it is expected that the fire hazard caused by ETBE-blended gasoline would differ from that caused by normal gasoline. The aim of this study was to acquire the knowledge required for estimating the fire hazard of ETBE-blended gasoline. Supposing that ETBE-blended gasoline was a two-component mixture of gasoline and ETBE, we developed a prediction model that describes the vapor pressure and flash point of ETBE-blended gasoline in an arbitrary ETBE blending ratio. We chose 8-component hydrocarbon mixture as a model gasoline, and defined the relation between molar mass of gasoline and mass loss fraction. We measured the changes in the vapor pressure and flash point of gasoline by blending ETBE and evaporation, and compared the predicted values with the measured values in order to verify the prediction model. The calculated values of vapor pressures and flash points corresponded well to the measured values. Thus, we confirmed that the change in the evaporation characteristics of ETBE-blended gasoline by evaporation could be predicted by the proposed model. Furthermore, the vapor pressure constants of ETBE-blended gasoline were obtained by the model, and then the distillation curves were

Highlights: • We chose 8-component hydrocarbon mixture as a model gasoline, and defined the molar mass of gasoline. • We proposed an evaporation model assuming a 2-component mixture of gasoline and ETBE. • We predicted the change in the vapor pressure of ETBE-blended gasoline by evaporation. • The vapor pressures were measured and compared as a means of verifying the model. • We presented the method for predicting flash points of the ETBE-blended gasoline. - Abstract: To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming, production of gasoline blended with ethyl tert-buthyl ether (ETBE) is increasing annually. The flash point of ETBE is higher than that of gasoline, and blending ETBE into gasoline will change the flash point and the vapor pressure. Therefore, it is expected that the fire hazard caused by ETBE-blended gasoline would differ from that caused by normal gasoline. The aim of this study was to acquire the knowledge required for estimating the fire hazard of ETBE-blended gasoline. Supposing that ETBE-blended gasoline was a two-component mixture of gasoline and ETBE, we developed a prediction model that describes the vapor pressure and flash point of ETBE-blended gasoline in an arbitrary ETBE blending ratio. We chose 8-component hydrocarbon mixture as a model gasoline, and defined the relation between molar mass of gasoline and mass loss fraction. We measured the changes in the vapor pressure and flash point of gasoline by blending ETBE and evaporation, and compared the predicted values with the measured values in order to verify the prediction model. The calculated values of vapor pressures and flash points corresponded well to the measured values. Thus, we confirmed that the change in the evaporation characteristics of ETBE-blended gasoline by evaporation could be predicted by the proposed model. Furthermore, the vapor pressure constants of ETBE-blended gasoline were obtained by the model, and then the distillation curves were

A study has been made on blend ratios of natural rubber (NR) and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) that are loaded with general purpose furnace (GPE) carbon black and irradiated at different gamma radiation doses. It was fount that the mechanical properties of such blend are highly affected by γ- irradiation dose and the composition ratios of its constituents. The elongation at break for blends was found to increase slightly with increasing NBR loafing which is mainly due to the stiffness of blending matrix formation between NR and GPF carbon black particles. The hysteresis loss, extension ratio and shape factor have been calculated for the different un-irradiated and irradiated samples

The combustion characteristics of lignite blends were studied with a thermogravimetric analyzer (t.g.a.), at constant heating rate.The characteristic temperatures were determined from the burning profiles.It was found that the characteristic times of combustion reaction moved forward, the ignition temperature dropped and the burnout efficiency slightly changed when blending lignites.The characteristic parameters of blends could not be predicted as a linear function of the average values of the individual lignites.when blending with less reactive coal, the ignition and burnout characteristics of lignite turned worse.

This paper reports on a collective case study of three blended courses taught by different instructors in a higher education institution, with the purpose of identifying the different types of blend and how the blend supports student learning. Based on the instructors' and students' interviews, and document analysis of course outlines, two major…

A novel polymeric ligand exchanger (PLE) was prepared for the removal of phosphate ions from water. 2,2'-dipyridylamine (DPA), a bidentate ligand forming compound with high coordination capacity with a variety of metal ions was bound to glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) grafted polypropylene/polyethylene (PP/PE) nonwoven fabric synthesized by radiation-induced grafting technique. DPA attachment on epoxy ring of GMA units was tested in different solvents, i.e. methanol, ethanol, dioxane and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). The highest amount of modification was achieved in dioxane. In order to prepare the corresponding PLE for the removal of phosphate, DPA-immobilized fabric was loaded with Cu(II) ions. Phosphate adsorption experiments were performed in batch mode at different pH (5-9) and phosphate concentrations. The fabric was found to be effective for the removal of phosphate ions. At every stage of preparation and use, the nonwoven fabric was characterized by thermal (i.e. DSC and TGA) and spectroscopic (FTIR) methods. Competitive adsorption experiments were also carried out using two solutions with different concentration levels at pH 7 to see the effect of competing ions. Phosphate adsorption was found to be effective and selective from solutions having trace amounts of competitive anions. It is expected that the novel PLE synthesized can be used for the removal of phosphate ions in low concentrations over a large range of pH.

Flexible electronics and wearable technology represent a novel and growing market for next generation devices. In this work, the authors deposit conductive zinc oxide films by atomic layer deposition onto nylon-6 nonwoven fiber mats and spun-cast films, and quantify the impact that deposition temperature, coating thickness, and aluminum doping have on the conductivity of the coated substrates. The authors produce aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) coated fibers with conductivity of 230 S/cm, which is ∼6× more conductive than ZnO coated fibers. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate AZO coated fibers maintain 62% of their conductivity after being bent around a 3 mm radius cylinder. As an example application, the authors fabricate an “all-fiber” pressure sensor using AZO coated nylon-6 electrodes. The sensor signal scales exponentially under small applied force (<50 g/cm 2 ), yielding a ∼10 6 × current change under 200 g/cm 2 . This lightweight, flexible, and breathable touch/force sensor could function, for example, as an electronically active nonwoven for personal or engineered system analysis and diagnostics

Full Text Available A new type of high-temperature stable and self-supporting composite separator for lithium-ion batteries was developed consisting of custom-made ultrathin micrometer-sized glass platelets embedded in a glass fiber nonwoven together with a water-based sodium alginate binder. The physical and electrochemical properties were investigated and compared to commercial polymer-based separators. Full-cell configuration cycling tests at different current rates were performed using graphite and lithium iron phosphate as electrode materials. The glass separator was high-temperature tested and showed a stability up to at least 600 °C without significant shrinking. Furthermore, it showed an exceptional wettability for non-aqueous electrolytes. The electrochemical performance was excellent compared to commercially available polymer-based separators. The results clearly show that glass platelets integrated into a glass fiber nonwoven performs remarkably well as a separator material in lithium-ion batteries and show high-temperature stability.

Surface modification of polypropylene non-woven fabric membrane (NWF) for improving its hemocompatibility was developed by grafting a biomimic monomer, 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorycholine (MPC). The NWF membrane surface was first activated by potassium peroxydisulfate to form hydroxyl groups, and then grafted with MPC using ceric (IV) ammonium nitrate as the redox initiator. The surface chemical changes before and after modification were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with an ATR unit (FTIR-ATR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS); the water contact angle results showed the gradual changes in wettability from hydrophobic to hydrophilic surface. Meanwhile, the hemocompatibility of these samples was also evaluated by protein adsorption and platelet adhesion. These experimental results exhibited that the introduction of poly(MPC) onto the NWF membrane surfaces substantially improved their hemocompatibility. The feasibility and simplicity of this procedure may lead to potential applications of NWF membranes in biomedical separation and blood purification. - Graphical abstract: 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorycholine (MPC), was grafted onto non-woven fabric (NWF) membrane surface by Ce(IV)/HNO{sub 3} redox system. The protein adsorption and platelet adhesion were substantially suppressed by the introduction of poly(MPC). Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MPC was successfully grafted onto NWF PP membrane surface. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Obviously enhanced hemocompatibility was acquired by the modified samples. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A facile redox grafting was adopted in the whole process.

Full Text Available Xenogenic leaflet material, bovine and porcine pericardium, is widely used for the fabrication of surgically implanted and transcatheter heart valve prostheses. As a biological material, long term durability of pericardium is limited due to calcification, degeneration and homogeneity. Therefore, polymeric materials represent a promising approach for a next generation of artificial heart valve leaflets with improved durability. Within the current study we analyzed the mechanical performance of polymeric structures based on elastomeric materials. Polymeric cast films were prepared and nonwovens were manufactured in an electrospinning process. Analysis of cyclic stress-strain behavior was performed, using a universal testing machine. The uniaxial cyclic tensile experiments of the elastomeric samples yielded a non-linear elastic response due to viscoelastic behavior with hysteresis. Equilibrium of stress-strain curves was found after a specific number of cycles, for cast films and nonwovens, respectively. In conclusion, preconditioning was found obligatory for the evaluation of the mechanical performance of polymeric materials for the use as artificial leaflet material for heart valve prostheses.

This sludge stabilization blend plan documents the material to be processed and the order of processing for the FY95 Sludge Stabilization Campaign. The primary mission of this process is to reduce the inventory of unstable plutonium bearing sludge. The source of the sludge is residual and glovebox floor sweepings from the production of material at the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP). The reactive sludge is currently being stored in various gloveboxes at PFP. There are two types of the plutonium bearing material that will be thermally stabilized in the muffle furnace: Plutonium Reclamation Facility (PRF) sludge and Remote Mechanical C (RMC) Line material

Linear sheet polarizers based on the anisotropic scattering of light by drawn polymer blends are introduced here. The proper selection of materials and processing conditions for the production of large-area, flexible films of phase-segregated polymer blends suitable for polarization applications are

This paper presents a case study of using blended learning to enhance students' language skills and learner autonomy in an Asian university environment. Blended learning represents an educational environment for much of the world where computers and the Internet are readily available. It combines self-study with valuable face-to-face interaction…

In this paper, the special needs/requirements of disabled students and cost-benefits for applying blended learning in Personalized Educational Learning Environments (PELE) in Higher Education are studied. The authors describe how blended learning can form an attractive and helpful framework for assisting Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (D-HH) students to…

This paper is a study of blended learning pedagogy in open and distance learning (ODL), involving two universities in Southeast Asia, STOU Thailand and UT Indonesia. The purpose of this study is to understand the issues related to the implementation of blended-learning pedagogy. Qualitative case study was employed to optimize my understanding of…

Blended learning environments that merge learning strategies, resources, and modes have been implemented in higher education settings for nearly two decades, and research has identified many positive effects. More recently, K-12 traditional and charter schools have begun to experiment with blended learning, but to date, research on the effects of…

If simultaneous shooting is carried out by incoherent source arrays, being the condition of blended acquisition, the deblending process generates shot records with a very low residual interference (blending noise). We found, theoretically and numerically, that deblended shot records had a better

The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate a mission scenario that uses pairwise and incidental blending of high level waste (HLW) to reduce the total mass of HLW glass. Secondary objectives include understanding how recent refinements to the tank waste inventory and solubility assumptions affect the mass of HLW glass and how logistical constraints may affect the efficacy of HLW blending

In traditional seismic surveys the firing time between shots is such that the records do not interfere in time. However, in the concept of blending the records do overlap, allowing much denser and wider geometries in an economic way. The blending parameters are the locations of the involved sources

The paper treats the case where blends of polystyrene (PS), poly (dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and a diblock copolymer of PS and PDMS are used as model materials. This modelsystem is predicted to be "stable" in discrete blends in simple shear flow. Stable in the sence that the block copolymer can not...

This article describes a 40-week Computer, Research Skills, and Projects (CRSP) blended learning course designed and implemented at Dubai Men's College. The learning employed a design using socio-constructivist principles in the blended approach to cater to the learning preferences of students. (Contains 2 figures and 1 footnote.)

This thesis presents the development of high-performance blended cements from industrial by-products. To overcome the low-early strength of blended cements, several chemicals were studied as the activators for cement hydration. Sodium sulfate was discovered as the best activator. The blending proportions were optimized by Taguchi experimental design. The optimized blended cements containing up to 80% fly ash performed better than Type I cement in strength development and durability. Maintaining a constant cement content, concrete produced from the optimized blended cements had equal or higher strength and higher durability than that produced from Type I cement alone. The key for the activation mechanism was the reaction between added SO4 2- and Ca2+ dissolved from cement hydration products.

The aim of this paper is to explore the possibilities collaboration offers in the virtual learning environments of the armed forces. I will argue that for reasons of culture and structure in the armed forces, the opportunities created by collaborative learning activities in e-learning and blended...... learning are especially fruitful here. Collaboration is a pervasive, foundational form of activity in our armies, air forces and navies. It expresses itself in cultural traits such as never leaving a soldier behind, taking your share and being someone you can count on, to name a few. Moreover, most armed...... forces activities are structured forms of collaboration; staff work, tactical planning, active duty and so forth are all day-to-day examples. Collaborative activities in virtual learning spaces tap into that culture. However, and perhaps confusingly, a study I conducted last year at the Royal Danish...

This Stabilization Blend Plan documents the material to be processed and the processing order for the FY95 Ash Stabilization Campaign. The primary mission of this process is to reduce the inventory of unstable plutonium bearing ash. The source of the ash is from Rocky Flats and the 232-Z incinerator at the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP). The ash is currently being stored in Room 235B and Vault 174 in building 234-5Z. The sludge is to be thermally stabilized in a glovebox in room 230A of the 234-5Z building and material handling for the process will be done in room 230B of the same building. The campaign is scheduled for approximately 12--16 weeks. A total of roughly 4 kg of Pu will be processed

Full Text Available It is a matter of fact that we are in the digital era and internet marketing and social media have a significant impact on the way consumers behave, companies do business and it is a must for companies to adapt to the new reality. Due to the fast evolution of the technology, the continuous increase in demand and supply, the supply chain elongation and the big amount of date, the only solution to face the major changes is the automation of all the processes. But even though the new era of communication is here, specialist suggest that companies should not ignore traditional methods, and to try to blend digital marketing with traditional campaigns in order to achieve their goals.

The present investigation evaluates the effects of waste marble dust, collected from the marble industries of Rajasthan, India, on the mechanical properties of needle-punched nonwoven jute fiber/epoxy composites. The composites with varying filler contents from 0 wt.% to 30 wt.% marble dust were prepared using vacuum-assisted resin-transfer molding. The influences of the filler material on the void content, tensile strength, flexural strength, interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), and thermal conductivity of the hybrid composites have been analyzed experimentally under the desired optimal conditions. The addition of marble dust up to 30 wt.% increases the flexural strength, ILSS, and thermal conductivity, but decreases the tensile strength. Subsequently, the fractured surfaces of the particulate-filled jute/epoxy composites were analyzed microstructurally by field-emission scanning electron microscopy.

Full Text Available In this study, the improvement of the thermal and acoustic insulation and also electromagnetic radiation properties of polyester (PET nonwoven fabric (NWF with 180 g/m2 weight was investigated. For this purpose, PET NWF was coated with perlite stone powder having 210 – 590 µm particle size using polyurethane (PU based coating. Five different concentrations from 1 to 5 % of perlite stone powder were applied to the surface of PET NWF having five different thicknesses. And then the effect of perlite concentration and its thickness to thermal, acoustic and electromagnetic radiation properties were studied. It was found that the addition of perlite stone powder increased the thermal and acoustic insulation properties of PET NWF. Furthermore, the addition of perlite stone powder does not affect the electromagnetic radiation properties of samples.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.24.1.17562

Blended learning has the power to reinvent education, but transitioning to a blended model is challenging. Blended learning requires a fundamentally new approach to learning as well as a new skillset for both teachers and school leaders. Loaded with research, examples, and resources, "Blended Learning in Action" demonstrates the…

A method for the rapid and simultaneous monitoring of particulate and dissolved 137 Cs concentration in water was developed. This method uses pleated polypropylene nonwoven fabric filter to collect particulate radiocesium, and nonwoven fabric impregnated with Prussian blue (PB) to absorb dissolved radiocesium. The fabric was placed into cylindrical plastic cartridges (SS-cartridge and PB-cartridge). Traditional monitoring methods, such as evaporative concentration, often require time for pre-processing. However, this method described requires much less pre-processing time before the detection. Experiments conducted with simulated river water demonstrated that almost all of the suspended solids weight was collected in the SS-cartridge, and that more than 92 % of dissolved 137 Cs was absorbed onto the two PB-cartridges by 2.5 L/min flow rate when the range of the pH was 6-8. This device was applied to monitor Abukuma River water at two locations and the results were compared with those obtained using the filtrating and evaporative concentration method. The suspended solids concentration in river water, calculated by weight gain of the SS-cartridge and by sediment weight after filtration with a 0.45-μm membrane filter, agreed well. The radioactivity of the particulate and dissolved 137 Cs also agreed well in one of the two replications of this method. In addition, the required time for pre-processing was reduced by 60 times that by filtrating and evaporative concentration method. This method can separately collect and concentrate particulate and dissolved radiocesium rapidly and simultaneously in the field. (author)

Higher Education has embraced blended learning as a way of enhancing quality in teaching and helping students to learn. This presentation addresses relations between blended learning possiblities presented to teachers in a teacher training project and teachers’ approaches to blended learning. We...... suggest that in order to identify the level of impact of integrating technologies in teaching and learning, we need to understand the factors influencing approaches to design of courses for blended contexts. Participants in the teacher training project come from the Department of Law at Aarhus University......: • Optain locally-embedded knowledge about blended learning • Develop opportunities for law students to receive (more) feedback • Comply with strategic aims The results so far suggest that teachers provide a disciplinary perspective on the key dimensions of blended learning, which influences...

The miscibility evolution of polycarbonate/polystyrene (PC/PS) blends during the compounding process in three blending methods of industrial relevance, namely melt blending, remelt blending in a twin-screw extruder and third melt blending in an injection molding machine, was investigated...... polymer in the other. The observed solubility strongly depends on blend composition and blending method. The T-g measurements showed maximum mutual solubility around 50/50 composition. The miscibility of PC/PS blended after the third stage (melt injection molding) was higher than that after the first...... by measuring their glass transition temperatures (T-g) and their specific heat increment (DeltaC(p)). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to examine nine blend compositions. Shifts in glass transition temperature (T-g) of the two phases in melt-mixed PC/PS blends suggest partial miscibility of one...

Blends of polycaprolactone (PCL), a synthetic polymer and gelatin, natural polymer offer a optimal combination of strength, water wettability and cytocompatibility for use as a resorbable biomaterial. The enzymatic degradation of PCL, gelatin and PCL–gelatin blended films was studied in the presence of lipase (Novozym 435, immobilized) and lysozyme. Novozym 435 degraded the PCL films whereas lysozyme degraded the gelatin. Though Novozym 435 and lysozyme individually could degrade PCL–gelatin blended films, the combination of these enzymes showed the highest degradation of these blended films. Moreover, the enzymatic degradation was much faster when fresh enzymes were added at regular intervals. The changes in physico-chemical properties of polymer films due to degradation were studied by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. These results have important implications for designing resorbable biomedical implants. (paper)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The blended Total Precipitable Water (TPW) product is derived from multiple sensors/satellites. The Percentage of TPW normal (PCT), or TPW anomaly, shows the...

students more and that facilitated a more interactive classroom environment. .... link: The evaluation of an innovative and interactive CME program, poster abstracts. ... Picciano A. Blending with purpose: The multimodal model. J Res Cent Educ ...

The spread of nuclear power ambitions beyond the few early-adopter nations requires more globalized education. Two of the learning problems specific to international education are the need for a common instructional language and different cultural styles of learning. Blended learning, a mix of personal interaction between teacher and impersonal computer-based learning, can solve these problems. The new KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School outside Ulsan, Korea is investing heavily in blended learning.

The spread of nuclear power ambitions beyond the few early-adopter nations requires more globalized education. Two of the learning problems specific to international education are the need for a common instructional language and different cultural styles of learning. Blended learning, a mix of personal interaction between teacher and impersonal computer-based learning, can solve these problems. The new KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School outside Ulsan, Korea is investing heavily in blended learning

Blended Learning, which is a mix of online and face-to-face learning, can combine the benefits of both, traditional classroom learning and e-learning environments.3 The aim of this thesis is to explore how to design and implement Blended Learning environment based on Constructivism theory, which focuses on students’ experience to construct the knowledge, in order to increase learning outcomes, performance, and quality in academic institutions. An affective and successful learni...

During the past five years, we have explored the use, potentials and challenges of Blended Interaction spaces. In addition, we have a long background in developing and exploring methods for collaborative design. In this workshop paper, we give an overview of our work and present our visions...... and ongoing research in developing Blended Interaction spaces for collaborative design. We then identify key themes and challenges pertinent for the workshop....

Blended learning (BL) is defined as "a way of meeting the challenges of tailoring learning and development to the needs of individuals by integrating the innovative and technological advances offered by online learning with the interaction and participation offered in the best of traditional learning." The Gulf Medical University (GMU), Ajman, UAE, offers a number of courses which incorporate BL with contact classes and online component on an E-learning platform. Insufficient learning satisfaction has been stated as an obstacle to its implementation and efficacy. To determine the students' perceptions toward BL which in turn will determine their satisfaction and the efficacy of the courses offered. This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the GMU, Ajman between January and December 2013. Perceptions of BL process, content, and ease of use were collected from 75 students enrolled in the certificate courses offered by the university using a questionnaire. Student perceptions were assessed using Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test on the basis of gender, age, and course enrollment. The median scores of all the questions in the three domains were above three suggesting positive perceptions on BL. The distribution of perceptions was similar between gender and age. However, significant differences were observed in the course enrollment (P = 0.02). Students hold a positive perception of the BL courses being offered in this university. The difference in perceptions among students of different courses suggest that the BL format offered needs modification according to course content to improve its perception.

Graphs estimated from empirical data are often noisy and incomplete due to the difficulty of faithfully observing all the components (nodes and edges) of the true graph. This problem is particularly acute for large networks where the number of components may far exceed available surveillance capabilities. Errors in the observed graph can render subsequent analyses invalid, so it is vital to develop robust methods that can minimize these observational errors. Errors in the observed graph may include missing and spurious components, as well fused (multiple nodes are merged into one) and split (a single node is misinterpreted as many) nodes. Traditional graph reconstruction methods are only able to identify missing or spurious components (primarily edges, and to a lesser degree nodes), so we developed a novel graph blending framework that allows us to cast the full estimation problem as a simple edge addition/deletion problem. Armed with this framework, we systematically investigate the viability of various topological graph features, such as the degree distribution or the clustering coefficients, and existing graph reconstruction methods for tackling the full estimation problem. Our experimental results suggest that incorporating any topological feature as a source of information actually hinders reconstruction accuracy. We provide a theoretical analysis of this phenomenon and suggest several avenues for improving this estimation problem.

The morphology evolution of polycarbonate-polystyrene (PC/PS) blends during the compounding process in three blending methods of industrial relevance, namely melt blending, re-melt blending in a twin-screw extruder and tri-melt blending in an injection-moulding machine, was investigated using......-empirical model. The results show that the formation of co-continuous morphology strongly depends on blend composition and melt blending method, whereas the model prediction for phase inversion deviates from the experimental values. Further, we found that the initial mechanism of morphology evolution involves...... scanning electron microscopy (SEM) Co examine nine blend compositions. Blends were prepared at compositions where phase inversion was expected to occur according to model predictions. The experimental results were compared to the values of the point of phase inversion calculated with the semi...

Despite teacher resistance to the use of technology in education, blended learning has increased rapidly, driven by evidence of its advantages over either online or classroom teaching alone. However, blended learning courses still fail to maximize the benefits this format offers. Much research has been conducted on various aspects of this problem,…

Using previously obtained data on the solubilities of curatives in SBR, EPDM and in NBR, different mixing procedures were performed on 50/50 SBR/EPDM and NBR/EPDM blends. In contrast to a previous phase-mixing study, the curatives were added to separate phases before final blending, in an attempt to

Poly (vinyl chloride) / epoxidized natural rubber blends were prepared with a Brabender plasticorder at 140, 150, 160, 170 and 180 degree C mixing temperatures. They were mixed at 50 rpm rotor speed for 10 min. The blends were irradiated with doses ranging from 0-200 kGy. Changes in tensile strength, modulus at 100% elongation, gel fraction and damping properties (tan δ) of the blends with increasing mixing temperatures and irradiation doses were investigated. In general, it was observed that the mixing temperature is important in maximizing the positive effect of irradiation. Results revealed that a readily miscible blend enjoy maximum benefit from irradiation meanwhile irradiation impart miscibility to a partially miscible PVC/ENR blend. The enhancement in blend properties is believed to be attributed by the irradiation-induced crosslinking along with irradiation-induced interaction between the polymers. The radiation-induced degradation found to be prominent at higher doses for blend that has undergone excessive thermal degradation. However evidence did not reveal the specific nature of radiation-induced reaction responsible for the improved interactions of the blends. (author)

In this study, we explore the design and delivery of a blended social studies teaching methods course according to principles and core attributes of blended course design. In a survey at the end of the course, pre-service teachers were asked to reflect on their experience in the course, and identify the benefits and challenges of the blended…

However the blend was found deficient in lysine, leucine, iso-leucine and phenylalanine when compared with the FAO recommendations for infants. Increased levels of pigeon pea in the blend also resulted in significant increases in potassium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium and calcium. Similarly, increased levels of ...

Bleeding from extremity wounds is the number one cause of preventable death on the battlefield and current research stresses the importance of training in preparing every Soldier to use tourniquets. HapMed is designed to provide tourniquet application training to combat medics and Soldiers using a blended training solution encompassing information, demonstration, practice, and feedback. The system combines an instrumented manikin arm, PDA, and computer. The manikin arm provides several training options including stand-alone, hands-on skills training in which soldiers can experience the actual torque required to staunch bleeding from an extremity wound and be timed on tourniquet application. This is more realistic than using a block of wood to act as a limb, which is often how training is conducted today. Combining the manikin arm with the PDA allows instructors to provide scenario based training. In a classroom or field setting, an instructor can specify wound variables such as location, casualty size, and whether the wound is a tough bleed. The PDA also allows more detailed feedback to be provided. Finally, combining the manikin arm with game-based technologies, the third component, provides opportunities to build knowledge and to practice battlefield decision making. Not only do soldiers learn how to apply a tourniquet, but when to apply a tourniquet in combat. The purpose of the paper is to describe the learning science underlying the design of HapMed, illustrate the training system and ways it is being expanded to encompass other critical life-saving tasks, and report on feedback received from instructors and trainees at military training and simulation centers.

The word blend in linguistics means a word formed from two parts of two words. In polymer science polymer blends means polymer mixtures, a class of materials analogues to the metal alloys. Blending of polymers is a simple and economic way to create new materials meeting specific desired properties. The other alternative is to synthesize such materials eventually facing the organic chemistry design difficulties. The low entropy of mixing polymers makes the process thermodynamically unfavorable, unless there are some specific interactions between the mixed polymers. As a result, in thermal equilibrium typically a phase separation between the blend components takes place. The main challenge facing the blending of polymers is the control of the length scale of the phase separation. One of the most important applications, where the control of the phase separation is crucial for the performance is the organic solar cells. In organic solar cells a blend of an electron donating polymer and electron accepting one is formed. The dimensions of the phase separation between the two polymers should be in the range of the exciton diffusion length [1-3] (in semiconductors, exciton diffusion length is the average distance traveled by the electron-hole pair before recombination). Only under this condition the charge transfer at the interface between the two polymer layers can take place and the solar cell performs efficiently. The thin polymer blend layers for such applications are commonly deposited by spin coating from solution containing both polymers. The morphology of the thin layer prepared in this way is highly influenced by the preparation conditions such as the surface properties of the substrate, the solvent from which the blend was deposited, the temperature, and the annealing temperature [4-9]. Therefore controlling the length scale of phase separation in layers casted or spin coated from solutions is difficult and is a matter of trials and errors. Recently a novel

Full Text Available In this study, it is aimed to determine the high school students’ views on blended learning. The study was carried out in biology course for the lesson unit of “Classification of Living Things and Biodiversity” with 47 9th grade students attending Nevzat Ayaz Anatolian High School in the second term of the academic year of 2009-2010. The lessons were taught in a way appropriate to the blended learning model both via the Internet and on face-to-face basis. As the online dimension of the blended learning model, Moodle, a Learning Management System (LMS, was used. The application lasted 10 weeks. The scale of learners’ views on blended learning was applied and interviews were held to determine the views. As a result of the analysis of the scale, it was seen that their views were “highly” positive. The interviews held with the students revealed that the blended learning model provided students with various opportunities such as getting prepared for the lessons, reviewing the lessons as many times as wanted, reaching the subject-related materials without being dependent on time and place, testing oneself and communicating with the teacher and other students out of the school. The interviews also revealed that there were various problems though such as lack of Internet connection at home and problems experienced while playing the videos.

Modification of polymers, especially of polyolefin-elastomer blends (e. g. ethylene/propylene/diene terpolymer, ethylene propylene copolymer, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer etc.), by irradiation with a beam of fast electrons is discussed. Irradiation of polymer blends usually results in enhanced interactions between the constituents, caused among other things, by grafting induced at the polymer interphase. As a result, mechanical properties are affected to an extent depending on the proportion and type of constituent polymers, stabilizer content and radiation dose. Breaking strength (σ) relative elongation at break (ε) and melt flow rate (MFR), were examined for a triblock styrene/butadiene/styrene (SBS) copolymer, polypropylene (PP), and a PP-SBS blend (50:50 by wt.). In PP, the content of the crystal phase was determined. Irradiation was found to make SBS crosslink, as a result, σ rose by 25% and ε remained unaffected. PP was found to become degraded upon irradiation (MFR rose as much as 16 times), thereby σ and ε decreased considerably. In pure PP, the content of the crystal phase was found to increase. The variations of σ and ε in the irradiated PP-SBS blend follow a tendency similar to that in the SBS copolymer examined. This fact suggests the SBS copolymer to have a decisive effect on the macroscopic properties of the PP-SBS blend. (author)

The computing education in Taiwan's vocational schools usually focuses on how to help students enhance their professional skills and pass certified examinations. In addition, due to national education policy and universities' regulations, pure online courses are not permitted in Taiwan. In order to design appropriate blended learning (BL) courses, the author explored the effects of web-mediated self-regulated learning (SRL) with variations in online class frequency on enhancing students' computing skills and their perspective of the blended courses. A total of 172 students, divided into four groups, participated in the experiment. The results showed that students in the SRL and BL group with five online classes had the highest scores for using a database management system (DBMS), and the highest pass rate on certified examinations. Students in this group also expressed their positive perspective on the arrangement of their blended course with the intervention of web-mediated SRL.

Learning design development for blended learning We started implementing Blackboard at Aarhus University in 2013. At the Health Faculty Blackboard replaced AULA which was a LMS with functionality for file distribution and only a vague focus on learning tools. Most teachers therefore had...... no experiences with blended leaning and technology supported out-of-class activities. At the pedagogical unit at the Health faculty we wanted to follow the Blackboard implementation with pedagogical tools for learning design to evolve the pedagogical use of the system. We needed to make development of blended...... learning courses easier for the teachers and also ensure quality in the courses. This poster describes the process from development of the learning design to implementation of the learning design at the faculty: 1. How to place demands on a learning design-model and how to develop and use such a model. 2...

A parametric study of blending Hanford tank wastes identified possible benefits from blending wastes prior to immobilization as a high level or low level waste form. Track Radioactive Components data were used as the basis for the single-shell tank (SST) waste composition, while analytical data were used for the double-shell tank (DST) composition. Limiting components were determined using the existing feed criteria for the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP) and the Grout Treatment Facility (GTF). Results have shown that blending can significantly increase waste loading and that the baseline quantities of immobilized waste projected for the sludge-wash pretreatment case may have been drastically underestimated, because critical components were not considered. Alternatively, the results suggest further review of the grout feed specifications and the solubility of minor components in HWVP borosilicate glass. Future immobilized waste estimates might be decreased substantially upon a thorough review of the appropriate feed specifications

A parametric study of blending Hanford tank wastes identified possible benefits from blending wastes prior to immobilization as a high level or low level waste form. Track Radioactive Components data were used as the basis for the single-shell tank (SST) waste composition, while analytical data were used for the double-shell tank (DST) composition. Limiting components were determined using the existing feed criteria for the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP) and the Grout Treatment Facility (GTF). Results have shown that blending can significantly increase waste loading and that the baseline quantities of immobilized waste projected for the sludge-wash pretreatment case may have been drastically underestimated, because critical components were not considered. Alternatively, the results suggest further review of the grout feed specifications and the solubility of minor components in HWVP borosilicate glass. Future immobilized waste estimates might be decreased substantially upon a thorough review of the appropriate feed specifications.

as an explanatory model to pry open the complexity of this activity, showing how research on design materials improves insight into how a design concept emerges. We show this empirically in a second-by- second analysis of a card-based design ideation episode using a multi-touch surface table. We offer process......-analytical evidence for the case that manipulation of design materials helps stabilize an emerging concept, as conceptual blending research has shown by analyzing artifacts, and extend this work by showing the dynamic interplay between the emerging conceptual blend and participants’ collaborative interaction...... with the materials. Our study advances understanding of interaction with materials in design ideation and aims to facilitate future research on how materials support conceptual blending as a useful model of how design concepts emerge....

Full Text Available Currently, much attention is paid to the development of learning sour cream – a combination of traditional and distance (30-70% of training. Such training is sometimes called hybrid and referred to disruptive technologies. Purpose – to show that the use of systemic campaign in blended learning provides a high quality of education, and the technology can be devastating. The subject of the study – blended learning, object of study – Mixed learning process. The analysis results show that the combined training increases the motivation of students, qualification of teachers, personalized learning process. At the same time there are no reliable methods of assessing the quality of education and training standards. It is important that blended learning strategy to support the institutional goals and had an effective organizational model for support.

Spun-cast films of polystyrene (PS) blended with polylactide (PLA) were visualized and characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and synchrotron-based X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (X-PEEM). The composition of the two polymers in these systems was determined by quantitative chemical analysis of near-edge X-ray absorption signals recorded with X-PEEM. The surface morphology depends on the ratio of the two components, the total polymer concentration, and the temperature of vacuum annealing. For most of the blends examined, PS is the continuous phase with PLA existing in discrete domains or segregated to the air?polymer interface. Phase segregation was improved with further annealing. A phase inversion occurred when films of a 40:60 PS:PLA blend (0.7 wt percent loading) were annealed above the glass transition temperature (Tg) of PLA.

Polyhydroxybutyrate, PHB, is a polymer obtained through bacterial or synthetic pathways. It has been used in the biomedical field as a matrix for drug delivery, medical implants and as scaffold material for tissue engineering. PHB has high structural organization, which makes it highly crystalline and brittle, making biodegradation difficult, reducing its employability. In order to enhance the mechanical and biological properties of PHB, blends with other polymers, biocompatible or not, are researched and produced. In this regard, blends of PHB and polycaprolactone, PCL, another biopolymer widely used in the biomedical industry, were obtained via solution casting and were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR). Results have shown a dependence between PHB's crystallinity index and PCL quantity employed to obtain the blends.(author)

... (polycarbonate, SB rubber, etc.) resulting in a clear blend. We also report that aliphatic POSS compounds are also dispersible in high density polyethylene. The synthesis of POSS/polymer blends as well as some physical properties will be discussed.

The program is focused on the development of composites and blends from biobased materials to use as membranes, high value plastics, and lightweight composites. Biobased materials include: cellulose derivative microporous materials, cellulose derivative copolymers, and cellulose derivative blends. This year`s research focused on developing an improved understanding of the molecular features that cellulose based materials with improved properties for gas separation applications. Novel cellulose ester membrane composites have been developed and are being evaluated under a collaborative research agreement with Dow Chemicals Company.

This paper presents and analyses design decisions and development process of producing teaching materials for a blended course with flipped classroom approach at bachelor level at Aalborg University in Copenhagen, Denmark. Our experiences, as well as students’ reactions and opinions will be descr......This paper presents and analyses design decisions and development process of producing teaching materials for a blended course with flipped classroom approach at bachelor level at Aalborg University in Copenhagen, Denmark. Our experiences, as well as students’ reactions and opinions...

In this thesis the use of various statistical methods to address some of the problems related to assessment of the homogeneity of powder blends in tablet production is discussed. It is not straight forward to assess the homogeneity of a powder blend. The reason is partly that in bulk materials......, it is shown how to set up parametric acceptance criteria for the batch that gives a high confidence that future samples with a probability larger than a specified value will pass the USP threeclass criteria. Properties and robustness of proposed changes to the USP test for content uniformity are investigated...

As part of a broader research effort to investigate the chemical modification of polyesters by reactive processing a low molecular weight (MW) unsaturated polyester (UP) and a higher MW saturated polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), alone or blended with polypropylene (PP) were melt processed in a batch mixer and continuous twin screw extruders. Modification was monitored by on-line rheology and the products were characterized primarily by off-line rheology, morphology and thermal analysis. Efforts were made to establish processing/property relationships and provide an insight of the accompanying structural changes. The overall response of the reactively modified systems was found to be strongly dependent on the component characteristics, blend composition, type and concentrations of reactive additives and processing conditions. The work concluded that UP can be effectively modified through reactive melt processing. Its melt viscosity and MW can be increased through chemical reactions between organic peroxides (POX) and chain unsaturation or between MgO and carboxyl/hydroxyl end groups. Reactive blending of PP/UP blends through peroxide modification gave finer and more uniform morphology than unreacted blends and at a given PP/UP weight ratio more thermoplastic elastomers-like rheological behavior. This is due to the continuously decreasing viscosity ratio of PP/UP towards unity by the competing reactions between POX and the blend components and formation of PP-UP copolymers which serve as in-situ compatibilizers to promote better interfacial adhesion. Kinetics of the competing reactions were analyzed through a developed model. In addition to POX concentration and mixing efficiency, rheology and morphology of UP/PP bends were significantly affected by the addition of inorganic and organic coagents. Addition of coagents such as a difunctional maleimide, MgO and/or an anhydride functionalized PP during reactive blending offers effective means for tailoring

Binder resins in magnetic coating formulations must fulfil a diverse set of requirements. These polymers must have the ability to accept high pigment loadings while maintaining good abrasion resistance, substrate adhesion, inherent lubricity and resistance to temperature and humidity effects. In addition, they must act as grinding aids in the dispersion of the magnetic pigment. In the thermally converted coatings now in use, these requirements are usually met by combining several polymers and crosslinking agents into an optimized blend. This approach is also effective in designing radiation curable binder systems. An overview of the methods employed to achieve such optimized blends will be discussed. (author)

ICT or Information and Communication Technology has pervaded the fields of education.In recent years the term e-learning has emerged as a result of the integration of ICT in the education fields. Following the application this technology into teaching, some pitfalls have been identified and this have led to the Blended learning phenomenon.However the preference on this new method has been debated quite extensively.The aim of this paper is to investigate the advantages of blended learning over...

This paper describes the conversion of an introductory computing course to the blended learning model at a small, public liberal arts college. Blended learning significantly reduces face-to-face instruction by incorporating rich, online learning experiences. To assess the impact of blended learning on students, survey data was collected at the…

This article is a formative evaluation of a course in which a blended learning environment was created and a good balance in dimensions of blended learning was sought. Blended learning is defined as the total mix of pedagogical methods, using a combination of different learning strategies, both with

A metropolitan school district wanted to understand blended learning as it existed in one of their high schools. Blended learning had been school-wide for four years, and district administrators wanted to know how students, teachers, and school administrators perceived blended learning and its impact on student engagement. This was a…

Based on previous surveys the usage of ICT and blended learning is at a low level in Ukraine. To catch up with the European average, it is important to familiarize the students and teachers with blended learning in the secondary school. The information technology classes provide the best opportunity to introduce the blended learning, because they…

There are substantial quantitative research and anecdotal reports on blended learning and blended learning courses. However, few research studies focus on what happens at the classroom level. This research study aims to consider the highly contextual environment of effective blended learning courses by identifying the strategies instructors use to…

Sample of tea obtained from Mambilla, Nigeria highland was blended with mistletoe - a known medicinal parasitic plant of cocoa. The ratios of the blends were Tea(T)/Mistletoe (M) 90:10 10:90, 75:25, 25:75, and 50:50 while ordinary tea and mistletoes served as control samples. Chemical analyses of blends were done ...

Thermally blending starch and polycaprolactone with the compatibilizer methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) distributed in the polyester phase had been previously confirmed to enhance the mechanical properties and interface between the two phases of the blends. In this study, blends of polycaprolactone with various ...

In physiological education, blended course formats (integration of face-to-face and online instruction) can facilitate increased student learning, performance, and satisfaction in classroom settings. There is limited evidence on the effectiveness of using blending course formats in laboratory settings. We evaluated the impact of blended learning…

The main limitation preventing the use of enzymatic cellulosic ethanol in industrial production is its higher cost which is mainly due to the elevated price of β-glucosidase (BG). Herein, we report on a simple strategy for the in-situ encapsulation of BG for repeated cellulosic ethanol production. In this strategy, BG was net-immobilized into a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) net-cloth layer on a PP nonwoven fabric by way of the visible light-induced surface controlled/living graft cross-linking polymerization. The visible light and mild reaction conditions could ensure the activity retention of BG during immobilization, while the non-swelling uniform net-mesh formed by living cross-linking polymerization could prevent the leakage of BG effectively (at the immobilization rate of more than 98.6% and the leakage rate of only 0.4%). When the BG-loaded fabric was used in combination with free cellulase (CEL), the results of the catalytic reaction demonstrated that these BG-loaded fabrics could not only give a 40% increase in cellulose conversions but also be reused for more than fifteen batches without losing the activity. These BG-loaded fabrics with characteristics including easy separation, excellent operation stability, a low cost of the polymeric matrix and a simple fabrication process are particularly interesting for a future bio-fuel production strategy.

In this work, the effects of grafted functional groups and surface wettability on the adhesion of leukocyte and platelet were investigated by the method of blood filtration. The filter materials, poly(butylene terephthalate) nonwoven fabrics bearing different functional groups including hydroxyl (OH), carboxyl (COOH), sulfonic acid group (SO{sub 3}H) and zwitterionic sulfobetaine group ({sup +}N((CH{sub 3}){sub 2})(CH{sub 2}){sub 3}SO{sub 3}{sup Circled-Minus }) with controllable wettability were prepared by UV radiation grafting vinyl monomers with these functional groups. Our results emphasized that both surface functional groups and surface wettability had significant effects on the adhesion of leukocyte and platelet. In the case of filter materials with the same wettability, leukocytes adhering to filter materials decreased in the order: the surface bearing OH only > the surface bearing both OH and COOH > the surface bearing sulfobetaine group > the surface bearing SO{sub 3}H, while platelets adhering to filter materials decreased as the following order: the surface bearing SO{sub 3}H > the surface bearing both OH and COOH > the surface bearing OH only > the surface bearing sulfobetaine group. As the wettability of filter materials increased, both leukocyte and platelet adhesion to filter materials declined, except that leukocyte adhesion to the surface bearing OH only remained unchanged.

This work described the graft polymerization of a sulfonic acid terminated monomer, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS), onto the surface of polypropylene non-woven (NWF PP) membrane by O{sub 2} plasma pretreatment and UV-induced photografting method. The chemical structure and composition of the modified surfaces were analyzed by FTIR-ATR and XPS, respectively. The wettability was investigated by water contact angle and equilibrium water adsorption. And the biocompatibility of the modified NWF PP membranes was evaluated by protein adsorption and platelet adhesion. It was found that the graft density increased with prolonging UV irradiation time and increasing AMPS concentration; the water contact angles of the membranes decreased from 124{sup o} to 26{sup o} with the increasing grafting density of poly(AMPS) from 0 to 884.2 {mu}g cm{sup -2}, while the equilibrium water adsorption raised from 5 wt% to 75 wt%; the protein absorption was effectively suppressed with the introduction of poly(AMPS) even at the low grafting density (132.4 {mu}g cm{sup -2}); the number of platelets adhering to the modified membrane was dramatically reduced when compared with that on its virgin surface. These results indicated that surface modification of NWF PP membrane with AMPS was a facile approach to construct biocompatible surface.

US DOE is examining options for disposing of surplus weapons-usable fissile materials and storage of all weapons-usable fissile materials. The nuclear material is converted to a form more proliferation- resistant than the original form. Blending HEU (highly enriched uranium) with less-enriched uranium to form LEU has been proposed as a disposition option. Five technologies are being assessed for blending HEU. This document provides data to be used in environmental impact analysis for the HEU-LEU disposition option that uses metal blending with an oxide waste product. It is divided into: mission and assumptions, conversion and blending facility descriptions, process descriptions and requirements, resource needs, employment needs, waste and emissions from plant, hazards discussion, and intersite transportation.

The blending sequence affects the morphology formation of the nanocomposites. In this work, the blending sequences were explored to determine its influence in the rheological behavior of HDPE/LLDPE/OMMT nanocomposites. The nanocomposites were obtained by melt-intercalation using a mixture of LLDPE-g-MA and HDPE-g-MA as compatibilizer system in a torque rheometer at 180 deg C and five blending sequences were studied. The materials structures were characterized by wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and by rheological properties. The nanoclay's addition increased the shear viscosity at low shear rates, changing the behavior of HDPE/LLDPE matrix to a Bingham model behavior with an apparent yield stress. Intense interactions were obtained for the blending sequence where LLDPE and/or LLDPE-g-MA were first reinforced with organoclay since the intercalation process occurs preferentially in the amorphous phase. (author)

US DOE is examining options for disposing of surplus weapons-usable fissile materials and storage of all weapons-usable fissile materials. The nuclear material is converted to a form more proliferation- resistant than the original form. Blending HEU (highly enriched uranium) with less-enriched uranium to form LEU has been proposed as a disposition option. Five technologies are being assessed for blending HEU. This document provides data to be used in environmental impact analysis for the HEU-LEU disposition option that uses metal blending with an oxide waste product. It is divided into: mission and assumptions, conversion and blending facility descriptions, process descriptions and requirements, resource needs, employment needs, waste and emissions from plant, hazards discussion, and intersite transportation

An increased interest for hygiene in everyday life as well as in food, feed and medical issues lead to a strong interest in films and blends to prevent the growth and accumulation of harmful bacteria. A growing trend is to use synthetic and natural antimicrobial polymers, to provide non-migratory

Biodiesel is a diesel-like fuel that is derived from processing vegetable oils from various sources, such as soy oil, rapeseed or canola oil, and also waste vegetable oils resulting from cooking use. Brookhaven National laboratory initiated an evaluation of the performance of blends of biodiesel and home heating oil in space heating applications under the sponsorship of the Department of Energy (DOE) through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This report is a result of this work performed in the laboratory. A number of blends of varying amounts of a biodiesel in home heating fuel were tested in both a residential heating system and a commercial size boiler. The results demonstrate that blends of biodiesel and heating oil can be used with few or no modifications to the equipment or operating practices in space heating. The results also showed that there were environmental benefits from the biodiesel addition in terms of reductions in smoke and in Nitrogen Oxides (NOx). The latter result was particularly surprising and of course welcome, in view of the previous results in diesel engines where no changes had been seen. Residential size combustion equipment is presently not subject to NOx regulation. If reductions in NOx similar to those observed here hold up in larger size (commercial and industrial) boilers, a significant increase in the use of biodiesel-like fuel blends could become possible

Humans interact with each other by utilizing the five basic senses as input modalities, whereas sounds, gestures, facial expressions etc. are utilized as output modalities. Multimodal interaction is also used between humans and their surrounding environment, although enhanced with further senses ...... framework enabling deployment of a vast variety of modalities, tailored appropriately for use in blended learning environment....

The combination of traditional teaching and Web-based teaching, so called blended learning, is a challenge to the teachers as well as to the students. This shift in teaching demands an openness and flexibility from the technical platform which has not been found in the existing tools. Therefore...

The object of this experimental study is to measure the effectiveness of a blended learning environment which is laid out on the basis of features for face to face and online environments. The study was applied to 110 students who attend to Atilim University, Ankara, Turkey and take Introduction to Computers Course. During the application,…

. The project uses a ?capacity building strategy where new practice and skills are built through pedagogical interventions mostly designed as courses based on blended learning with a dialogue oriented and practice related team-work as an important part. Through this work the team learns how to use a specific...

Pedagogy is rapidly changing. To develop best practice in academia, it is important that we change with the changing needs of students. This article suggests that blended learning is one of the most important pedagogical formats that can enhance student learning, optimize the use of active learning strategies, and potentially improve student learning outcomes.

The Common Education Data Standards (CEDS) common data vocabulary supports the collection and use of information about virtual and blended learning. The data element "Virtual Indicator", introduced in version 3 of CEDS, supports a range of virtual learning-related use cases. The Virtual Indicator element may be related to a Course…

Offers a holistic blended learning approach, combining the best of traditional approaches to learning and teaching to make best use of the advantages of each while minimizing the disadvantages. It provides information professionals with a practical guide to the design and delivery of such training programmes.

This chapter aims to answer some of the questions that emerge when carrying out educational ethnography in a blended learning environment. The authors first outline how Virtual Ethnography (VE) has been developed and applied by other researchers. Then, to better illustrate the approach, they describe a doctoral research project that implemented…

In this study, it is aimed to determine the high school students' views on blended learning. The study was carried out in biology course for the lesson unit of "Classification of Living Things and Biodiversity" with 47 9[superscript th] grade students attending Nevzat Ayaz Anatolian High School in the second term of the academic year of…

Full Text Available A progressive increase in the desire for environmentally friendly lubricants by users and strict government regulations for the use of these lubricants has provided an opportunity to use plant oils as biodegradable lubricants, therefore vegetable oils have been investigated to replace oil lubricants because of their maintaining the conditions of nature (environment properties. In this paper, the influences of the blending ratio of mustard seeds oil with commercial mineral oil (SAE40 on the tribological characteristics were investigated and compared with mineral oil using the four-ball tribotester. Mustard seeds oil was blended with mineral oil at a volumetric ratio ranging from 22.5 to 90%. All experimental works were confirmed to ASTM D4172-B standard. The results exhibit that some blends of mustard seeds oil with mineral oil have lower wear scar diameter, friction torque, Friction coefficient and a higher parameter of flash temperature value compared to mineral oil and neat mustard seed oil. In conclusion, the mustard seed oil blend (MU22.5 shows a better anti-wear and anti-friction performance compared to oil samples. Therefore, mustard seeds oil has the potential to be used as a lubricant of mating surfaces.

The authors investigate the relationship between student learning choices and learning styles in the use of an innovative learning environment for statistics. For teaching introductory statistics to first-year students in economics and business, Maastricht University uses a blended learning environment. It allows students to individualize learning…

We investigated the compatiblizing performance of organoclays on melt mixed binary and tertiary polymer blends, such as, PS/PMMA, PC/SAN, PS/PMMA/PVC and PS/PMMA/PE. These polymer blends were characterized by TEM, STXM, DSC and DMA. TEM and STXM photographs show that the addition of organoclays into polymer blends drastically reduces the average domain size of the component phases. And the organoclay goes to the interfacial region between the different polymers and effectively slows down the domain size increasing during high temperature annealing. DMA and DSC results show the effect of organoclays on the mechanical properties and glass transitions temperature, which indicates the compatibilization on the molecular level. The generalized compatibilization induced by the nanoscale fillers for blends can be explained in terms of mean field models where the reduction of interfacial tension induced by in-situ grafting is counterbalanced by the increased bending energy due to the rigidity of the filler. This in turn can be shown to be a function of the degree of exfoliation, aspect ratio, and polymer filler interactions. Supported by NSF funded MRSEC at Stony Brook

Many Americans do not meet the recommendations for diet and physical activity. A blender bike can be an effective tool when coupled with hands-on activities that reinforce health recommendations. We created "Blending Nutrition and Physical Activity: An Activity Guide for Use with Blender Bikes" to use when incorporating a blender bike…

In this study, we explore the design and delivery of a blended social studies teaching methods course to examine the elements of the blended design that pre-service teachers found most constructive. In focus groups at the completion of the course, pre-service teachers were asked to reflect on their experience in the blended course, identify the…

Full Text Available Since the process and conversion of natural rubber into epoxidized natural rubber (ENR was discovered and patented by I. R. Gelling of the Malaysian Rubber Product Research Association (or now known as the Tun Razak laboratory, Brickendonbury, Hertford, in the United Kingdom, there are more than 10 000 technical and technological papers cited in the internet. Information on ENR is available, not only in the the English language but also other languages like Chinese, Malay, French, Thai and even German languages are used. NR is the most versatile and reactive rubber/elastomer. It is an advanced natural rubber which could be potentially used as a starting material for the development of other rubbers, modifie elastomers, for grafting, plastic-based materials and also thermoplastic rubbers. Its reactivity is dependent on its epoxy groups, the opening of its ring structure, and also the subsequent structures of carboxylic groups and the in-situ side-chains “carbon – carbon” double bonds (> C = C blends and ENR rubber-plastics blends, some of the studies cited are “uses of new and advanced chemicals” and synthetic rubbers: ENR/NBR, ENR/PVC, ENR/polylactic acid blends, ENR/copolyester blends, ENR/Copolyamide Blends, ENR/poly (vinylidene fluorideblends, ENR/Carbon Nanotubes with co-agent Trimethylol Propane Triacrylate, ENR /recycled silicon materials, and ENR/copolymer of n-butyl acrylate/butyl methacrylate “grafted”. Each of these blends has its own characteristics in terms of processing, enhancement of processing like safety, scorch, oil and water

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is examining options for the disposition of surplus weapons-usable fissile materials and storage of all weapons-usable fissile materials. Disposition is a process of use or disposal of material that results in the material being converted to a form that is substantially and inherently more proliferation-resistant than is the original form. Examining options for increasing the proliferation resistance of highly enriched uranium (HEU) is part of this effort. This report provides data to be used in the environmental impact analysis for the uranyl nitrate hexahydrate blending option to produce oxide for disposal. This the Conversion and Blending Facility (CBF) alternative will have two missions (1) convert HEU materials into HEU uranyl nitrate (UNH) and (2) blend the HEU uranyl nitrate with depleted and natural assay uranyl nitrate to produce an oxide that can be stored until an acceptable disposal approach is available. The primary emphasis of this blending operation will be to destroy the weapons capability of large, surplus stockpiles of HEU. The blended LEU product can only be made weapons capable again by the uranium enrichment process. The blended LEU will be produced as a waste suitable for storage or disposal.

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is examining options for the disposition of surplus weapons-usable fissile materials and storage of all weapons-usable fissile materials. Disposition is a process of use or disposal of material that results in the material being converted to a form that is substantially and inherently more proliferation-resistant than is the original form. Examining options for increasing the proliferation resistance of highly enriched uranium (HEU) is part of this effort. This report provides data to be used in the environmental impact analysis for the uranyl nitrate hexahydrate blending option to produce oxide for disposal. This the Conversion and Blending Facility (CBF) alternative will have two missions (1) convert HEU materials into HEU uranyl nitrate (UNH) and (2) blend the HEU uranyl nitrate with depleted and natural assay uranyl nitrate to produce an oxide that can be stored until an acceptable disposal approach is available. The primary emphasis of this blending operation will be to destroy the weapons capability of large, surplus stockpiles of HEU. The blended LEU product can only be made weapons capable again by the uranium enrichment process. The blended LEU will be produced as a waste suitable for storage or disposal

In this work silk fibroin/pullulan blend films have been prepared by solution casting method. The blend films were examined for structural, and thermal properties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimatric (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The XRD results indicate that with the introduction of pullulan, the interaction between SF and pullulan in the blend films induced the conformation transition of SF films and amorphous phase increases with increasing pullulan ratio. The thermal properties of the blend films were improved significantly in the blend films.

In the summer of 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiated a test program to evaluate the potential impacts of intermediate ethanol blends (also known as mid-level blends) on legacy vehicles and other engines. The purpose of the test program was to develop information important to assessing the viability of using intermediate blends as a contributor to meeting national goals for the use of renewable fuels. Through a wide range of experimental activities, DOE is evaluating the effects of E15 and E20 - gasoline blended with 15% and 20% ethanol - on tailpipe and evaporative emissions, catalyst and engine durability, vehicle driveability, engine operability, and vehicle and engine materials. This report provides the results of the catalyst durability study, a substantial part of the overall test program. Results from additional projects will be reported separately. The principal purpose of the catalyst durability study was to investigate the effects of adding up to 20% ethanol to gasoline on the durability of catalysts and other aspects of the emissions control systems of vehicles. Section 1 provides further information about the purpose and context of the study. Section 2 describes the experimental approach for the test program, including vehicle selection, aging and emissions test cycle, fuel selection, and data handling and analysis. Section 3 summarizes the effects of the ethanol blends on emissions and fuel economy of the test vehicles. Section 4 summarizes notable unscheduled maintenance and testing issues experienced during the program. The appendixes provide additional detail about the statistical models used in the analysis, detailed statistical analyses, and detailed vehicle specifications.

Full Text Available Recent research on biodiesel focused on performance of single biodiesel and its blends with diesel. The present work aims to investigate the possibilities of the application of mixtures of two biodiesel and its blends with diesel as a fuel for diesel engines. The combinations of Pongamia pinnata biodiesel, Mustard oil biodiesel along with diesel (PMD and combinations of Cotton seed biodiesel, Pongamia pinnata biodiesel along with diesel (CPD are taken for the experimental analysis. Experiments are conducted using a single cylinder direct-injection diesel engine with different loads at rated 3000 rpm. The engine characteristics of the two sets of double biodiesel blends are compared. For the maximum load, the value of Specific Fuel consumption and thermal efficiency of CPD-1 blend (10:10:80 is close to the diesel values. CPD blends give better engine characteristics than PMD blends. The blends of CPD are suitable alternative fuel for diesel in stationary/agricultural diesel engines.

Full Text Available Ukrainian and foreign scientists’ views on the essence of blended learning are analyzed in the article. The author's definition of a blended learning course is presented. The process of such course designing is described according to target, motivational, substantive, operational and diagnostic components. Both the structure of the blended learning course implementation as well as students’ educational-cognitive activity distribution between classroom learning and distance course are shown. The problems for students, teachers, and educational institutions of blended courses effective implementation are summarized. Students’ academic performance of three years study is analyzed. The results of students’ questioning to determine their perception of blended learning course are described according to the following categories: the effectiveness of blended course, evaluation objectivity, motivation to study, the use of plagiarism in studies, understanding of blended learning course.

Highlights: • The effects of gamma irradiation on SiR-EPDM blend are examined. • Cross-linking reaction is dominant in blends C, D and E, due to higher EPDM content. • The tensile strength and hardness of blend E is improved by gamma irradiation. • The blend C and EPDM rich blends (D, E) are found to have superior performance. • Among C, D and E, suitable blend can be selected for a particular NPP application. - Abstract: Cable insulation materials (CIM) should perform their safety functions throughout their installed life in nuclear power plants (NPP). The CIM will be exposed to gamma irradiation at the installed locations. In order to forecast long-term performance of CIM, the short time accelerated testing was carried out. Due to its good mechanical strength, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) is widely used as CIM. Silicone rubber (SiR) is used in high temperature environments, due to its good di-electric properties/hydrophobicity. The blending of these two polymers may result in the improvement in their specific properties. This paper analyses the effects of gamma irradiation on the five different compositions (90-10; 70-30; 50-50; 30-70; 10-90) of SiR-EPDM blends. The blends were exposed to four different doses (25 Mrad, 100 Mrad, 200 Mrad and 250 Mrad) of gamma irradiation. The electrical and mechanical parameters like volume resistivity (VRY), surface resistivity (SRY), tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EB), hardness (H) of the virgin and gamma irradiated blends were determined as per ASTM/IEC standards. The nature of degradation was investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The simultaneous occurrence of cross-linking and chain scission is found to be the mechanism for ageing in SiR-EPDM blends. The electrical parameters such as volume resistivity and surface resistivity of all the blends are found to improve for all doses of gamma irradiation. To validate the influence of cross-linking reaction of the Si

Full Text Available Diesel engine is known as the most efficient engine with high efficiency and power but always reported as high fuel emission. Malaysia National Automotive Policy (NAP was targeting to improve competitive regional focusing on green technology development in reducing the emission of the engine. Therefore, ethanol was introduced to reduce the emission of the engine and while increasing its performance, Palm methyl ester was introduced as blend enhancer to improve engine performance and improve diesel-ethanol blends stability. This paper aimed to study the characteristics of the blends and to prove the ability of palm-methyl-ester as co-solvent in ethanol-diesel blends. Stability and thermophysical test were carried out for different fuel compositions. The stability of diesel-ethanol blended was proved to be improved with the addition of PME at the longer period and the stability of the blends changed depending on temperature and ethanol content. Density and viscosity of diesel-ethanol-PME blends also give higher result than diesel-ethanol blends and it's proved that PME is able to increase density and viscosity of blends. Besides, heating value of the blends also increases with the increasing PME in diesel-ethanol blends.

The Salt Disposition Integration (SDI) portfolio of projects provides the infrastructure within existing Liquid Waste facilities to support the startup and long term operation of the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF). Within SDI, the Blend and Feed Project will equip existing waste tanks in the Tank Farms to serve as Blend Tanks where salt solutions of up to 1.2 million gallons will be blended in 1.3 million gallon tanks and qualified for use as feedstock for SWPF. In particular, Tanks 21 and 24 are planned to be used for blending and transferring to the SDI feed tank. These tanks were evaluated here to determine blending times, to determine a range of settling times for disturbed sludge, and to determine that the SWPF Waste Acceptance Criteria that less than 1200 mg/liter of solids will be entrained in salt solutions during transfers from the Tank 21 and Tank 24 will be met. Overall conclusions for Tank 21 and Tank 24 operations include: (1) Experimental correction factors were applied to CFD (computational fluid dynamics) models to establish blending times between approximately two and five hours. As shown in Phase 2 research, blending times may be as much as ten times greater, or more, if lighter fluids are added to heavier fluids (i.e., water added to salt solution). As the densities of two salt solutions converge this effect may be minimized, but additional confirmatory research was not performed. (2) At the current sludge levels and the presently planned operating heights of the transfer pumps, solids entrainment will be less than 1200 mg/liter, assuming a conservative, slow settling sludge simulant. (3) Based on theoretical calculations, particles in the density range of 2.5 to 5.0 g/mL must be greater than 2-4 (micro)m in diameter to ensure they settle adequately in 30-60 days to meet the SWPF feed criterion ( 60 days) settling times in Tank 21.

In the recent years, radiation-induced graft polymerization of various monomers onto different types of trunk polymers have been extensively used for researchers on adsorbents for cations, anions and different compounds, battery separators, antibacterial bandages, protein separators, and fuel cell applications. Some of these technologies were transferred to end-users and eventually commercialized. In most of these studies, a post-grafting reaction is performed to introduced chemical groups that impart functionality to the grafted material. In this paper, pre-irradiation technique was used for emulsion grafting of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto an electron beam irradiated abaca-polyester nonwoven fabric (APNWF). The dependence of degree of grafting (Dg), calculated from the weight of APNWF before and after grafting, on irradiation dose, reaction time and monomer concentration were studies. After 50 kGy irradiation with 2 MeV electron beam and subsequent 3-hour reaction with an emulsion consisting of 5% GMA and 0.5% polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (Tween 20) surfactant in deionized water at 40 degree centegrade, a grafted APNWF with a Dg greater than 150% was obtained. The GMA grafted APNWF was further modified by reaction with ethylenediamine (EDA) in isopropyl alcohol at 60 degree centegrade to introduce amine functional groups. A 3-hour reaction with 50% EDA resulted to an amine group density of 2.7 mmole/gram-adsorbent. Preliminary batch adsorption experiments using Cu 2+ and Ni 2+ ions in aqueous solutions show that the adsorption capacity of the grafted adsorbent is four times greater for Cu 2+ ions compared to Ni 2+ ions. (author)

Research exploring the processing of morphologically complex words, such as compound words, has found that they are decomposed into their constituent parts during processing. Although much is known about the processing of compound words, very little is known about the processing of lexicalised blend words, which are created from parts of two words, often with phoneme overlap (e.g., brunch). In the current study, blends were matched with non-blend words on a variety of lexical characteristics, and blend processing was examined using two tasks: a naming task and an eye-tracking task that recorded eye movements during reading. Results showed that blend words were processed more slowly than non-blend control words in both tasks. Blend words led to longer reaction times in naming and longer processing times on several eye movement measures compared to non-blend words. This was especially true for blends that were long, rated low in word familiarity, but were easily recognisable as blends.

Objective. To determine instructional best practice recommendations for use of blended learning from the students' perspective. Methods. Three focus groups were created, one for each of the first three years at a school of pharmacy. The focus group discussions were audio recorded and transcribed for content analysis. Results. Ten instructional best practices were identified from the focus groups: setting the stage, consistency when team teaching, timeliness in posting materials, time on task, accountability for online activities, use of structured active learning, instructor use of feedback on student preparation, incorporation of student feedback into the course, short reviews of online material during class, and ensuring technologies are user friendly. Conclusion. Instructors using blended learning should consider incorporating these best practices into their course design and management. More evaluation is needed to see if implementation of these practices affects student performance.

Problem-based and project organized learning (PBL) was originally developed for collaboration between physically present students, but political decisions at many universities require that collaboration, dialogues, and other PBL activities take place online as well. With a theoretical point...... of departure in Dewey and a methodological point of departure in netnography, this study focuses on an online module at Aalborg University where teaching is based on PBL. With the research question ‘How can teachers design for PBL online,’ this study explores the teacher’s role in a six weeks’ blended learning...... program, and we present suggestions for designs for blended learning PBL based on case studies from two PBL courses...

Principal objectives of the proposed project are two folds. Firstly, to develop the HPC mix suitable to NPP structures with blended cement, and secondly to study its durability necessary for desired long-term performance. Three grades of concrete to b considered in the proposed projects are M35, M50 and M60 with two types of blended cements, i.e. Portland slag cement (PSC) and Portland pozzolana cement (PPC). Three types of mineral admixtures - silica fume, fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag will be used. Concrete mixes with OPc and without any mineral admixture will be considered as reference case. Durability study of these mixes will be carried out

Full Text Available Raman spectroscopy has been employed in a number of studies to examine the morphological changes in a variety of materials. It is a non-destructive analysis method and an equally useful method for the investigation of material structure. Recently, Raman spectroscopy has been developed to employ as an imaging instrumentation. Sample surface scanning in X- and Y-axis and sample depth (Z-axis can be carried out by modifying the focus of the laser beam from the Raman microscope. Therefore, three-dimensional images can be thus built by using special software. The surface and bulk properties of immiscible rubber blend were investigated by Raman spectroscopy. The results obtained by Raman spectroscopy were in good agreement with those of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM. The combination of Raman spectrometry and SEM clearly elucidates the identification of phases between the dispersed phase and the matrix (continuous phase of the immiscible rubber blends.

A progressive increase in the desire for environmentally friendly lubricants by users and strict government regulations for the use of these lubricants has provided an opportunity to use plant oils as biodegradable lubricants, therefore vegetable oils have been investigated to replace oil lubricants because of their maintaining the conditions of nature (environment) properties. In this paper, the influences of the blending ratio of mustard seeds oil with commercial mineral oil (SAE40) on the ...

Many recent studies, including INFCE and NASAP, have concluded that recycling thermal reactor fuel reduces natural uranium requirements. These studies are based on a common set of assumptions concerning the method of recycling uranium, and consequently have produced quite similar results. It was assumed, however, that the residual uranium would be reenriched rather than blended with higher enriched uranium. This paper will examine several possible alternatives to reenriching residual uranium and discuss the consequences of each

Facebook is a popular networking tool among the young learners. This paper reports a practical usage of Facebook to engage learners in blended learning. The practical usage of Facebook in hosting online forums, sharing media files in vodcast, building collaborative content through Facebook Doc, and using Facebook as repository for articles and lecture notes has been described. Recent survey on 55 students revealed that a strong majority of the students agreed that Facebook has positive impact...

Cellulose nanopapers have gained significant attention in recent years as large-scale reinforcement for high-loading cellulose nanocomposites, substrates for printed electronics and filter nanopapers for water treatment. The mechanical properties of nanopapers are of fundamental importance for all these applications. Cellulose nanopapers can simply be prepared by filtering a suspension of nanocellulose, followed by heat consolidation. It was already demonstrated that the mechanical properties of cellulose nanopapers can be tailored by the fineness of the fibrils used or by modifying nanocellulose fibrils for instance by polymer adsorption, but nanocellulose blends remain underexplored. In this work, we show that the mechanical and physical properties of cellulose nanopapers can be tuned by creating nanopapers from blends of various grades of nanocellulose, i.e. (mechanically refined) bacterial cellulose or cellulose nanofibrils extracted from never-dried bleached softwood pulp by chemical and mechanical pre-treatments. We found that nanopapers made from blends of two or three nanocellulose grades show synergistic effects resulting in improved stiffness, strength, ductility, toughness and physical properties. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue `New horizons for cellulose nanotechnology'.

Full Text Available Blends of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA and angico gum (AG and/or cashew gum (CG were used to produce films by casting method. Morphological and mechanical properties of these films were studied and compared to the properties of a commercial collagen membrane of bovine origin (MBO. The films presented thickness varying from 70 to 140 μm (PVA/AG and 140 to 200 μm (PVA/CG. Macroscopic analysis showed that a PVA/CG film was very similar to MBO regarding the color and transparency. The higher values of tensile strength (TS and elastic modulus (EM were observed in the film. On the other hand, PVA/CG and PVA/CG-AG presented the highest value of percentage of elongation (E%. Pearson’s Correlation Analysis revealed a positive correlation between TS and EM and a negative correlation between E% and EM. The PVA/CG film presented mechanical properties very similar to MBO, with the advantage of a higher E% (11.96 than MBO (2.94. The properties of the PVA blended films depended on the polysaccharide added in the blend, as well as the acid used as a catalyst. However, all produced films presented interesting mechanical characteristics which enables several biotechnological applications.

Full Text Available Every generation has beliefs, values, cultures, perspectives, interests, and different skills for life and work. The generation born in the early 2000s when the rapid development of such technology referred to as generation-z or net generation. Characters of this generation is very sensitive to technology and communication, meaning they have an advantage in the field of information and knowledge development. While the educators who were born in an earlier era are still not familiar with it so that educators often claimed to be "clueless" (stuttering technology. To address this need no new innovations in the learning process so that it complies with these characters. Combines conventional learning with communication media such as whatsapp and google drive is one easy solution social studies lesson on the generation-z. Learners who are accustomed to communicate using social networks can access the material and lesson plans that have been prepared with structured each meeting. So that they can read or prepare questions before the learning begins. The proportion of the use of e-learning in this study reached 35% so that it can be summed up as learning blended learning. This learning to stand on its information technology infrastructure and can be done anytime and anywhere. So learning blended learning has characteristics that are open, flexible, and can occur anywhere. Keywords: Generation Z and blended learning http://dx.doi.org/10.17977/um022v1i12016p070

Poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) is a renewable resource polymer derived from plant sugars with several commercial applications. Broader implementation of the material is limited due to its inherent brittleness. We show that the addition of 5 wt % castor oil to PLLA significantly enhances the overall tensile toughness with minimal reductions in the modulus and no plasticization of the PLLA matrix. In addition, we used poly(ricinoleic acid)-PLLA diblock copolymers, synthesized entirely from renewable resources, as compatibilizers for the PLLA/castor oil blends. Ricinoleic acid, the majority fatty acid comprising castor oil, was polymerized through a lipase-catalyzed condensation reaction. The resulting polymers contained a hydroxyl end-group that was subsequently used to initiate the ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide. The binary PLLA/castor oil blend exhibited a tensile toughness seven times greater than neat PLLA. The addition of block copolymer allowed for control over the morphology of the blends, and even further improvement in the tensile toughness was realized - an order of magnitude larger than that of neat PLLA.

Electrospun membranes were fabricated from poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, co-spun with poly(lactic acid), PLA. The PLA contained 2% of the D-isomer, which served to limit the overall degree of crystallinity. Membranes were deposited from blended solutions of PET/PLA in hexafluoroisopropanol. The PET/PLA composition ranged from 0/100, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75, and 100/0. Electrospun membranes were made using either a static flat plate or a rotating wheel as the counter electrode, yielding unoriented mats or highly oriented tapes, respectively. We report on our investigation of the crystallinity, crystal perfection, and mechanical properties of these materials using differential scanning calorimetry, wide and small angle X-ray scattering, and dynamic mechanical analysis. In particular, we study the ability of one blend component (PET) to crystallize in the presence of existing crystals of the second blend component (PLA) which crystallizes first and at a lower temperature than PET.

Structures containing polymers such as DuPont's Surlyn® 8940, demonstrate puncture healing when impacted by a 9 millimeter projectile traveling from speeds near 300 meters per second (1,100 feet per second) to hypervelocity impacts in the micrometeoroid velocity range of 5 kilometers per second (16,000 feet per second). Surlyn® 8940 puncture heals over a temperature range of minus 30 degrees Centigrade to plus 70 degrees Centigrade and shows potential for use in pressurized vessels subject to impact damage. However, such polymers are difficult to process and limited in applicability due to their low thermal stability, poor chemical resistance and overall poor mechanical properties. In this work, several puncture healing engineered melt formulations were developed. Moldings of melt blend formulations were impacted with a 5.56 millimeter projectile with a nominal velocity of 945 meters per second (3,100 feet per second) at about 25 degrees Centigrade, 50 degrees Centigrade and 100 degrees Centigrade, depending upon the specific blend being investigated. Self-healing tendencies were determined using surface vacuum pressure tests and tensile tests after penetration using tensile dog-bone specimens (ASTM D 638-10). For the characterization of tensile properties both pristine and impacted specimens were tested to obtain tensile modulus, yield stress and tensile strength, where possible. Experimental results demonstrate a range of new puncture healing blends which mitigate damage in the ballistic velocity regime.

Poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) is a renewable resource polymer derived from plant sugars with several commercial applications. Broader implementation of the material is limited due to its inherent brittleness. We show that the addition of 5 wt % castor oil to PLLA significantly enhances the overall tensile toughness with minimal reductions in the modulus and no plasticization of the PLLA matrix. In addition, we used poly(ricinoleic acid)-PLLA diblock copolymers, synthesized entirely from renewable resources, as compatibilizers for the PLLA/castor oil blends. Ricinoleic acid, the majority fatty acid comprising castor oil, was polymerized through a lipase-catalyzed condensation reaction. The resulting polymers contained a hydroxyl end-group that was subsequently used to initiate the ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide. The binary PLLA/castor oil blend exhibited a tensile toughness seven times greater than neat PLLA. The addition of block copolymer allowed for control over the morphology of the blends, and even further improvement in the tensile toughness was realized-an order of magnitude larger than that of neat PLLA.

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to elicit students’ perceptions regarding the most facilitative and most challenging features (affordances and barriers in a blended course design. Following the phenomenological approach of qualitative inquiry, data were collected from ten undergraduate students who had experiences in a blended learning environment. Data were collected from the students’ weekly reşection papers, interviews with students, and documents, and analyzed by structurally and texturally describing the resulting experiences and perceptions. The findings of the study indicate that used together, online and face-to-face course structures offer several opportunities and challenges for students. The participating students mentioned interaction and communication opportunities, increased motivation, increased opportunities to voice their opinions, and reinforcement of learning as the affordances in the blended learning environment. The barriers included increased workload, cultural and technical barriers, and the inter-dependence of the two environments. Implications and suggestions are offered for instructors in higher education settings

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to elicit students’ perceptions regarding the most facilitative and most challenging features (affordances and barriers in a blended course design. Following the phenomenological approach of qualitative inquiry, data were collected from ten undergraduate students who had experiences in a blended learning environment. Data were collected from the students’ weekly reflection papers, interviews with students, and documents, and analyzed by structurally and texturally describing the resulting experiences and perceptions. The findings of the study indicate that used together, online and face-to-face course structures offer several opportunities and challenges for students. The participating students mentioned interaction and communication opportunities, increased motivation, increased opportunities to voice their opinions, and reinforcement of learning as the affordances in the blended learning environment. The barriers included increased workload, cultural and technical barriers, and the inter-dependence of the two environments. Implications and suggestions are offered for instructors in higher education settings.

A new method is presented for the extraction of single-chain form factors and interchain interference functions from a range of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments on bimodal homopolymer blends. The method requires a minimum of three blends, made up of hydrogenated and deuterated components with matched degree of polymerization at two different chain lengths, but with carefully varying deuteration levels. The method is validated through an experimental study on polystyrene homopolymer bimodal blends with [Formula: see text]. By fitting Debye functions to the structure factors, it is shown that there is good agreement between the molar mass of the components obtained from SANS and from chromatography. The extraction method also enables, for the first time, interchain scattering functions to be produced for scattering between chains of different lengths. [Formula: see text].

While blended learning combines online and face-to-face teaching, research on blended learning has primarily focused on the role of technology and the opportunities it creates for engaging students. Less focus has been put on face-to-face activities in blended learning. This paper argues...... that it is not only the online activities in blended learning that provide new opportunities for rethinking pedagogy in higher education, it is also imperative to reconsider the face-to-face activities when part of the learning is provided online. Based on a review of blended learning in business and management...... education, we identify what forms of teaching and learning are suggested to take place face-to-face when other activities are moved online. We draw from the Community of Inquiry framework to analyze how face-to-face activities contribute to a blended learning pedagogy and discuss the implications...

On the basis of a theoretical discussion of the concept of blended learning, this paper presents the pre- paration, execution and evaluation of a 5 ECTS blended learning course on parametric urban design for a group of some 50 BSc students of architecture and design at Aalborg university...... and curriculum develop- ment, and di culties to nd time for research. Despite the general consensus that developing online/blended learning courses requires both technical support, complex software installations, and substantial preparation time, it is shown that free web ser- vices and low-tech adaptations...... of traditional teaching assets are su cient to get started with blended learning with only little extra e ort. While the pilot blended learning course which provided the insights for this paper has room for impro- vement, it represents a decent rst shot at developing blended learning courses for higher education...

Ignition tests were carried out on blends of three coals of different rank - subbituminous, high volatile and low volatile bituminous - in two entrained flow reactors. The ignition temperatures were determined from the gas evolution profiles (CO, CO{sub 2}, NO, O{sub 2}), while the mechanism of ignition was elucidated from these profiles and corroborated by high-speed video recording. Under the experimental conditions of high carbon loading, clear interactive effects were observed for all the blends. Ignition of the lower rank coals (subbituminous, high volatile bituminous) enhanced the ignition of the higher rank coal (low volatile bituminous) in the blends. The ignition temperatures of the blends of the low rank coals (subbituminous-high volatile bituminous) were additive. However, for the rest of the blends the ignition temperatures were always closer to the lower rank coal in the blend. 21 refs., 8 figs.

Diacylglycerol (DAG) oils produced from sunflower oil and traditional sunflower oil were stored for 20 wk at 38 degrees C, and their oxidative stability was measured. Moreover, two butter blends were produced containing 40 wt-% DAG oil made from sunflower oil or rapeseed oil, respectively, as well...... as two control butter blends with sunflower oil or rapeseed oil. Their oxidative stability during storage at 5 degrees C for up to 12 wk was examined by similar means as for the pure oils. The storage study of the oils indicated that the DAG oil was oxidatively less stable as compared to sunflower oil......, but that they had similar sensory quality. Storage of the butter blends revealed that blends with the two types of rapeseed oil (triacylglycerol (TAG) or DAG oil) were oxidatively more stable than the blends containing oils from sunflower. There was no unambiguous indication of DAG butter blends having a different...

Polyethylene blends with poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [poly(HEMA)] or poly(2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate) [poly(DHPMA)] were prepared by swelling polyethylene with HEMA or 2,3-epoxypropyl methacrylate (EPMA) and by polymerization of the respective monomers. Poly(EPMA) in blends was hydrolysed to poly(DHPMA) with acetic acid. The blends had similar surface and bulk compositions. Swelling with water and surface wettability were proportional to the content of the hydrophilic component; at the same content the polyethylene/poly(DHPMA) blends appeared more hydrophilic than those of polyethylene/poly(HEMA). Thrombus formation in contact with blood examined ex vivo and in vivo was considerably slower on the blends than on unmodified polyethylene. The tests indicated optima in composition; the best biological response was achieved with the blends containing about 14% poly(HEMA) or 16% poly(DHPMA).

In this work, the combustion behaviour of individual coals of different rank and their blends was evaluated. The study was focused on burnout and NO emissions during blend combustion. Preliminary combustion tests of the coals and their blends were carried out in a thermogravimetric analyser (TGA). Some characteristic temperatures were obtained to evaluate the combustibility of the samples. These temperatures indicate an improvement in the combustibility of the less reactive coal when it is blended. An entrained flow reactor (EFR) was employed to study the behaviour of the samples at high heating rates and short residence times. Burnout and NO emissions were measured during EFR combustion tests. In some blends the results can be predicted from the weighted average of the values of the individual coals. However, other blends show an increase, from the averaged values, in burnout and especially in NO emissions. 14 refs., 10 figs., 3 tabs.

This paper presents a systematic methodology for designing blended products consisting of three stages; product design, process identification and experimental verification. The product design stage is considered in this paper. The objective of this stage is to screen and select suitable chemicals...... to be used as building blocks in the mixture design, and then to propose the blend formulations that fulfill the desired product attributes. The result is a set of blends that match the constraints, the compositions, values of the target properties and information about their miscibility. The methodology has...... been applied to design several blended products. A case study on design of blended lubricants is highlighted. The objective is to identify blended products that satisfy the product attributes with at least similar or better performance compared to conventional products....

We conducted a study of student performance in and perceptions of a blended classroom delivery of a junior-level fluid mechanics course. In the blended pedagogy, students watch short on-line videos before class, participate in interactive in-class problem solving (in dyads), and complete individualized on-line quizzes weekly. Comparisons are made among four sections of the blended classroom delivery in the period of 2013-2017 to eleven sections delivered in a traditional lecture-style format by the same instructor in 2002-2012. The results reveal dramatic improvement in student engagement, perceptions, and achievement in the blended pedagogy. For instance, the withdrawal/fail/barely-passing (WFD) rate is significantly lower for the blended classroom (8.6% vs. 16.3%; p self-perception of how-much-learned, perception of the value of the course activities, and the overall effectiveness of the course and instructor in the blended classroom.

This paper reports on the effects of electron beam (EB) irradiation on poly α-1,4-glucose oligomers (maltodextrins) in the presence of water and of various aromatic additives, as model blends for gaining a better understanding at a molecular level the modifications occurring in amorphous starch-lignin blends submitted to ionizing irradiation for improving the properties of this type of bio-based thermoplastic material. A series of aromatic compounds, namely p-methoxy benzyl alcohol, benzene dimethanol, cinnamyl alcohol and some related carboxylic acids namely cinnamic acid, coumaric acid, and ferulic acid, was thus studied for assessing the ability of each additive to counteract chain scission of the polysaccharide and induce interchain covalent linkages. Gel formation in EB-irradiated blends comprising of maltodextrin was shown to be dependent on three main factors: the type of aromatic additive, presence of glycerol, and irradiation dose. The chain scission versus grafting phenomenon as a function of blend composition and dose were studied using Size Exclusion Chromatography by determining the changes in molecular weight distribution (MWD) from Refractive Index (RI) chromatograms and the presence of aromatic grafts onto the maltodextrin chains from UV chromatograms. The occurrence of crosslinking was quantified by gel fraction measurements allowing for ranking the cross-linking efficiency of the additives. When applying the method to destructurized starch blends, gel formation was also shown to be strongly affected by the moisture content of the sample submitted to irradiation. The results demonstrate the possibility to tune the reactivity of tailored blend for minimizing chain degradation and control the degree of cross-linking.

A hypothesis providing a guideline for the development of immiscible polymer blends with co-continuous phase structure at very low critical volume fraction of one component is. postulated and experimentally verified. Based on a number of simplifying assumptions the following relation was derived......: phi(cr) = k(lambdagamma)(1-z)/(theta(b)(*))(z) where lambdagamma is a Deborah number and theta(b)(*) is a dimensionless break-up time. The equation parameters, k and z are constant that depend on the flow field hence on the blending equipment. For the studies an internal mixer with Walzenkneter...

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the emissions characteristics of higher alcohols and gasoline (UTG96) blends. While lower alcohols (methanol and ethanol) have been used in blends with gasoline, very little work has been done or reported on higher alcohols (propanol, butanol and pentanol). Comparisons of emissions and fuel characteristics between higher alcohol/gasoline blends and neat gasoline were made to determine the advantages and disadvantages of blending higher alcohols with gasoline. All tests were conducted on a single-cylinder Waukesha Cooperative Fuel Research engine operating at steady state conditions and stoichiometric air-fuel (A/F) ratio. Emissions test were conducted at the optimum spark timing-knock limiting compression ratio combination for the particular blend being tested. The cycle emission [mass per unit time (g/h)] of CO, CO 2 and organic matter hydrocarbon equivalent (OMHCE) from the higher alcohol/gasoline blends were very similar to those from neat gasoline. Cycle emissions of NO x from the blends were higher than those from neat gasoline. However, for all the emissions species considered, the brake specific emissions (g/kW h) were significantly lower for the higher alcohol/gasoline blends than for neat gasoline. This was because the blends had greater resistance to knock and allowed higher compression ratios, which increased engine power output. The contribution of alcohols and aldehydes to the overall OMHCE emissions was found to be minimal. Cycle fuel consumption (g/h) of higher alcohol/gasoline blends was slightly higher than with neat gasoline due to the lower stoichiometric A/F ratios required by the blends. However, the brake specific fuel consumption (g/kW h) for the blends was significantly lower than that for neat gasoline. (Author)

This book is aimed at developers and designers who are new to Blend and looking to learn Blend, not just practically, but also conceptually. This book does not assume any knowledge about Blend on the part of developers; however, some experience in design or development might be useful in understanding the concepts faster, but this book explains everything very simply so that you are able to understand everything with little or no effort.

On the basis of experimental data for blends of polyethylene with different polymers an empirical equation is proposed to describe the dependence of melt viscosity of blends on component viscosities and composition. The model ensures the continuity of viscosity vs. composition curves throughout the whole composition range, the possibility of obtaining extremum values higher or lower than the viscosities of components, allows the calculation of flow curves of blends from the flow curves of components and their volume fractions. (orig.)

Blended e-learning is becoming an educational issue especially with the new development of e-learning technology and globalization. Educators as the question: can we design these systems to accommodate different cultural groups and various learning strategies. This paper addresses some design issues when selecting a blended e-learning approach; it discusses some cultural elements that affect the design of blended e-learning. The paper also explores issues related to learning design, then emph...

Poly aniline / polyacrylamide blends in presence of different catalysts were prepared. X-ray diffraction studies reveal that the samples produced are crystalline. Optical gap of the blend in the presence of NaCIO 4 used as a catalyst is greater than that in the presence of (NH 4 ) 2 S 2 O 8 as a catalyst. The structure of polyacrylamide (PAM) blended with poly aniline (PANI) were investigated by infrared spectroscopy, Grain size was identified using scanning electron microscopy [SEM

Blended learning combines face-to-face class based and online teaching and learning delivery in order to increase flexibility in how, when, and where students study and learn. The development, integration, and promotion of blended learning in frameworks of curriculum design can optimize the opportunities afforded by information and communication technologies and, concomitantly, accommodate a broad range of student learning styles. This study critically reviews the potential benefits of blende...

This study presents the results of the research to investigate asphalt rubber mixtures produced with asphalt rubber binder obtained from two different processes; (i) terminal blend (produced in refinery); (ii) continuous blend (produced in laboratory). The experiment included the evaluation of fatigue and permanent deformation resistance of two gap graded mixtures (Caltrans ARHM -GG; ADOT AR-A C) and a dense gradation Asphalt Institute (AI) mix type IV) Two asphalt rubbers from terminal blend...

Full Text Available Similarly to related developments such as blended learning and blended care, blended working is a pervasive and booming trend in modern societies. Blended working combines on-site and off-site working in an optimal way to improve workers' and organizations' outcomes. In this paper, we examine the degree to which workers feel that the two defining features of blended working (i.e., time-independent working and location-independent working enhance their own functioning in their jobs. Blended working, enabled through the continuing advance and improvement of high-tech ICT software, devices, and infrastructure, may be considered beneficial for workers' perceived effectiveness because it increases their job autonomy. However, because blended working may have downsides as well, it is important to know for whom blended working may (not work. As hypothesized, in a sample of 348 workers (51.7% women, representing a wide range of occupations and organizations, we found that the perceived personal effectiveness of blended working was contingent upon workers' psychological need strength. Specifically, the perceived effectiveness of both time-independent working and location-independent working was positively related to individuals' need for autonomy at work, and negatively related to their need for relatedness and need for structure at work.

This paper reviews the latest developments in chitosan-based blends and their potential applications in various fields. Various blends together with other derivatives, such as composites and graft copolymers, have been developed to overcome chitosans disadvantages, including poor mechanical properties and to improve its functionality towards specific applications. The progress made in blending chitosan with synthetic and natural polymers is presented. The versatility and unique characteristics, such as hydrophilicity, film-forming ability, biodegradability, biocompatibility, antibacterial activity and non-toxicity of chitosan has contributed to the successful development of various blends for medical, pharmaceutical, agricultural and environmental applications. (author)

Polymer blends of 60/40 NR/HDPE were prepared using Brabender PL2000 plasticorder with 60g capacity. The blends were added with radiation sensitive natural rubber (NR)-based compatibilizer, known as LENRA. They were irradiated in air with electron beam radiation at various doses. The efficacy of the compatibilizer was monitored by measuring various properties of the blends such as physical and dynamic mechanical properties including morphological studies by electron microscopic technique. Early results show that the addition of LENRA improves the properties of the TPNR blends. (Author)

Polymer blends of 60/40 NR/RDPE were prepared using Brabender PL2000 Plasticorder with 60 g capacity. The blends were added with radiation-sensitive natural rubber (NR)-based compatibilizer, known as LENRA. They were irradiated with electron-beam radiation at various doses. The efficacy of the compatibilizer was monitored by measuring various properties of the blends such as physical and dynamic mechanical properties including morphological studies by electron microscopic technique. Early results show that the addition of LENRA improves the properties of the TPNR blends. (Author)

As the education field strives to differentiate and personalize learning to cater to each student, two related movements are gaining attention: competency-based education and blended learning. In competency-based models, students advance on the basis of mastery, rather than according to the traditional methods of counting progress in terms of time…

Full Text Available This paper will be looking into the teaching method developed by the Institute for European Studies in Brussels, combining an e-learning tool- the E-modules- with face-to-face training sessions and webinars. The main aim is to analyse the three different components of this “blended learning” pedagogical approach, as well as the way they complement each other and to address a few of the challenges that have emerged from the experience of working with them so far. The E-modules are an e-learning platform that has been designed with the purpose of offering a structured and interactive way of learning how the European Union functions. The face-to-face training component currently takes the form of three days in-house seminars, covering in an intensive manner the most important areas of the curriculum. The lectures are held by a mix of academics and practitioners, hereby ensuring a balanced approach, in which theory and practice come together to facilitate the learning experience. The third element of the “blended learning” method is placed in-between online and face-to-face learning: interactive seminars and debates are held online, giving the participants the chance to deepen their knowledge in certain fields of interest and to discuss the content of the course with specialists and among themselves. The mixture of delivery and interaction methods was chosen in order to accommodate a large variety of target groups, ranging from students to professionals working with EU-related issues, with different backgrounds and geographical origins. One of the main challenges is to use each medium for the functionalities it is best designed for and to ensure that the various pieces of the pedagogical puzzle fit together perfectly, while allowing the learners the flexibility that had initially directed them towards “blended learning” instead of a classical classroom approach.

On dispensing powdered antineoplastic medicines, it is important to prevent cross-contamination and environmental exposure. Recently, we developed a method for blending powdered medicine in a disposable ointment container using a planetary centrifugal mixer. The disposable container prevents cross-contamination. In addition, environmental exposure associated with washing the apparatus does not arise because no blending blade is used. In this study, we aimed to confirm the uniformity of the mixture and weight loss of medicine in the blending procedure. We blended colored lactose powder with Leukerin(®) or Mablin(®) powders using the new method and the ordinary pestle and mortar method. Then, the blending state was monitored using image analysis. Blending variables, such as the blending ratio (1:9-9:1), container size (35-125 mL), and charging rate (20-50%) in the container were also investigated under the operational conditions of 500 rpm and 50 s. At a 20% charging rate in a 35 mL container, the blending precision of the mixtures was not influenced by the blending ratio, and was less than 6.08%, indicating homogeneity. With an increase in the charging rate, however, the blending precision decreased. The possible amount of both mixtures rose to about 17 g with a 20% charging rate in a 125 mL container. Furthermore, weight loss of medicines with this method was smaller than that with the pestle and mortar method, suggesting that this method is safer for pharmacists. In conclusion, we have established a precise and safe method for blending powdered medicines in pharmacies.

The Salt Disposition Integration (SDI) portfolio of projects provides the infrastructure within existing Liquid Waste facilities to support the startup and long term operation of the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF). Within SDI, the Blend and Feed Project will equip existing waste tanks in the Tank Farms to serve as Blend Tanks where salt solutions of up to 1.2 million gallons will be blended in 1.3 million gallon tanks and qualified for use as feedstock for SWPF. In particular, Tanks 21 and 24 are planned to be used for blending and transferring to the SDI feed tank. These tanks were evaluated here to determine blending times, to determine a range of settling times for disturbed sludge, and to determine that the SWPF Waste Acceptance Criteria that less than 1200 mg/liter of solids will be entrained in salt solutions during transfers from the Tank 21 and Tank 24 will be met. Overall conclusions for Tank 21 and Tank 24 operations include: (1) Experimental correction factors were applied to CFD (computational fluid dynamics) models to establish blending times between approximately two and five hours. As shown in Phase 2 research, blending times may be as much as ten times greater, or more, if lighter fluids are added to heavier fluids (i.e., water added to salt solution). As the densities of two salt solutions converge this effect may be minimized, but additional confirmatory research was not performed. (2) At the current sludge levels and the presently planned operating heights of the transfer pumps, solids entrainment will be less than 1200 mg/liter, assuming a conservative, slow settling sludge simulant. (3) Based on theoretical calculations, particles in the density range of 2.5 to 5.0 g/mL must be greater than 2-4 {micro}m in diameter to ensure they settle adequately in 30-60 days to meet the SWPF feed criterion (<1200 mg/l). (4) Experimental tests with sludge batch 6 simulant and field turbidity data from a recent Tank 21 mixing evolution suggest the solid

Exposure to ultra-violet (UV)-C radiation is a frequently used method to prevent bacteria from invasion of blood-contact biomedical products. Potential damage induced by UV radiation to collagen is of concern due to the decay of bioactivity, considerably correlated with structural alterations. Our current investigation studies the collagen-bonded non-woven polypropylene (PP) fabric surface. In this experiment, antenna-coupling microwave plasma is utilized to activate PP fabric and then the sample is grafted with acrylic acid (AAc). Type III collagen is immobilized by using water soluble 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide as coupling agent. The collagen-bonded samples with sample temperature ca. 4 degrees C are then exposed to UV-254nm radiation for different time intervals. By using fourier-transformed infrared with attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), we examine the chemical structures of samples with different treatments. Coomassie brilliant blue G250 method is utilized to quantify the immobilized collagen on the PP fabric surfaces. Blood-clotting effects are evaluated by activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, and fibrinogen concentration tests. By means of cell counter and scanning electron microscopy we count red blood cells and platelets adhesion in the modified porous matrix. Our experimental results have demonstrated that with pAAc-grafting of ca. 173 microg cm(-2) and immobilized collagen of 80.5+/-4.7 microg cm(-2), for human plasma incubated samples of various intervals of UV-254 nm radiation, fibrinogen concentration decreases in human plasma, while platelets and red blood cells adhesions increase before UV radiation. However, the required time for thrombination shows significant change for UV radiation exposure of less than 20 h (alpha = 0.05). The decay of bioactivity for the UV-irradiated, collagen-bonded surfaces is thus evaluated. Surface analyses indicate that the decrease of

In this paper, we present a blended learning Radiation Protection Technician through an approved degree from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, which covers the knowledge and skills of functions relating to operators and supervisors in various areas and skilled workers to be to perform their work in technical units or Radiation Protection Radiation Protection Services. The benefits of this work are those related to achieving quality training flexible and adapted to follow the check off the person conducting the course, adapted to internal and external training of the applicant companies.

Demolition ceramic wastes (DCWs) were investigated in order to determine their potential use as supplementary cementitious materials in Portland Blended Cements (PBCs). For this purpose, three ceramic wastes were investigated. After characterization of the materials used, the effect of ceramic waste replacement (8, 24 and 40% by mass) was analyzed. Pozzolanic activity, hydration progress, workability and compressive strength were determined at 2, 7 and 28 days. The results showed that the ground wastes behave as filler at an early age, but as hydration progresses, the pozzolanic activity of ceramic waste contributes to the strength requirement. [es

Blends of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and angico gum (AG) and/or cashew gum (CG) were used to produce films by casting method. Morphological and mechanical properties of these films were studied and compared to the properties of a commercial collagen membrane of bovine origin (MBO). The films presented thickness varying from 70 to 140 μm (PVA/AG) and 140 to 200 μm (PVA/CG). Macroscopic analysis showed that a PVA/CG film was very similar to MBO regarding the color and transparency. The higher valu...

Full Text Available Candidate transiting planet systems discovered by wide-ﬁeld groundbased surveys must go through an intensive follow-up procedure to distinguish the true transiting planets from the much more common false positives. Especially pernicious are conﬁgurations of three or more stars which produce radial velocity and light curves that are similar to those of single stars transited by a planet. In this contribution we describe the methods used by the HATNet team to reject these blends, giving a few illustrative examples.

compared. The van der Waals equation of state was recently shown to accurately correlate and predict vapor-liquid and liquid-liquid equilibria for binary polymer/solvent solutions. In this work, it is demonstrated that it correlates the upper critical solution behavior of polymer blends with excellent...... accuracy using the usual mixing and combining rules and a single temperature- and composition-independent binary interaction parameter. This interaction parameter can be predicted via a generalized expression that uses only the pure component equation-of-state parameters. Using this generalized expression...

Full Text Available This article analyzes the use of information technologies in the context of a blended technology approach to learning foreign languages in higher education institutions. Distance learning tools can be categorized as being synchronous (webinar, video conferencing, case-technology, chat, ICQ, Skype, interactive whiteboards or asynchronous (blogs, forums, Twitter, video and audio podcasts, wikis, on-line testing. Sociological and psychological aspects of their application in the educational process are also considered.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-8-41

The polypropylene (PP) has been applied to a wide range of production due to its various excellent properties such as cheapness, high stiffness, chemical resistance, no environmental pollution when incinerated, low specific density and good mechanical properties. However, PP is a linear polymer which exhibits low melt strength. One of the effective approaches to achieve high melt strength (HMS) is to add chain branches onto backbone polymers. High melt strength polypropylene (HMS-PP) has been recently developed and introduced in the market by the major international polypropylene producers. As a consequence different methods have been applied to modify polypropylenes by chain branches. The technology obtained by IPEN together with EMBRARAD and BRASKEM comprises chain branches added onto backbone species using gamma radiation, which is generated from a Co 6 0 source. Such radiation is very convenient in order to improve polymer materials by grafting, crosslinking and degradation. Another important approach to the development of polymer materials is based on the combination of different polymers into a new product having some of the desired properties of each component. In this work, gamma irradiation technique was used to induce chemical changes in commercial polypropylene (HMS-PP) that was after blended with polybutene and in polypropylene/polybutene blends. The samples were irradiated with a 60 C o source at doses of 12,5 and 20kGy in the presence of acetylene. It was investigated how the two different routes of blends processing can modify their properties. Indeed the results from melt flow, gel fraction and rheology reveal the influence of the process route in the blends properties. Effects on the elongation at break and break strength were observed by the results of mechanical tests. The results from rheology demonstrated an increase in melt strength and drawability of the blends

This paper examines the current stage of development of blended learning in higher education in China, South Korea and Japan, with a comparison to the city state of Singapore. It is noted that blended learning and e-learning are introduced at institutes of higher learning in these countries with varying

Blending and nudging methods have been recently applied in fluid dynamics, particularly regarding the assimilation of experimental data into the computations. In the paper we formally derive the differential equation associated to blending and compare it to the standard nudging equation. Some simple considerations related to these techniques and their mutual relations are exposed. (paper)

Blended learning, structured as a combination of traditional course instruction and additional supporting multimedia course content, can be used in higher education for a variety of reasons. In the case study that we examine, the introduction of blended learning was initiated three years ago with the purpose of creating more resources for…

Gravitational microlensing surveys target very dense stellar fields in the local group. As a consequence, the microlensed source stars are often blended with nearby unresolved stars. The presence of 'blending' is a cause of major uncertainty when determining the lensing properties of events towards

Blended learning in which online education is combined with face-to-face education is especially useful for (future) health care professionals who need to keep up-to-date. Blended learning can make learning more efficient, for instance by removing barriers of time and distance. In the past

This paper will offer some insights into possible ways to optimise the blended learning environment based on experience with this modality of teaching at Arab Open University/Jordan branch and also by reflecting upon the results of several meta-analytical studies, which have shown blended learning environments to be more effective than their face…

Research on blended learning theory and practice is growing nowadays with a focus on the development, evaluation, and quality assurance of case studies. However, the enhancement of blended learning existing models, the specification of their online parts, and the quality assurance related specifically to them have not received enough attention.…

This study investigated the effect of a blended learning program on student teachers' teaching skills in an undergraduate microteaching course. The blended learning program lasted for nine weeks. This program aimed at integrating social network tasks and face-to-face teaching activities. Pre- and post-tests were administered to assess student…

This paper reports on findings of a university focus group exploring blended learning in higher education. It first describes the findings regarding the amorphous definition of blended learning as well as whether and how universities might engage in the practice. This paper then explains the administrative, instructor, and student variables that…

As online and blended learning gain more popularity in education, it becomes more important to understand their effects on student learning. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of self-paced blended learning of mathematics on the attitudes and achievement of 26 high ability middle school students, and investigate the relationship…

This paper explores how blended learning can enhance learning at the boundary between academia and industry, and make possible the design of a new kind of internship. Boundary theory proposes that socio-cultural discontinuities between different environments create opportunities for learning. Blended learning pedagogy makes it possible to make the…

The first purpose of this study was to determine students' opinions on blended learning and its implementation. The other purpose was to explore the students' opinions on Facebook integration into blended learning environment. The participants of this study were 40 undergraduate students in their fourth semester of the program.…

This paper describes a pedagogical experiment in which a suite of novel blended learning strategies was used to replace the traditional role of design tutors in a first year architectural design studio. The pedagogical objectives, blended learning strategies and outcomes of the course are detailed. While the quality of the student design work…

With the advent of the digital age, traditional didactic teaching and online learning have been modified and gradually replaced by "Blended Learning." The purpose of this study was to explore the influences of blended learning pedagogy on junior high school student learning achievement and the students' attitudes toward mathematics. To…

This article reviews the international literature on blended learning in view of establishing its thematic trends in higher education. The systematic review through PRISMA, sought to answer three research questions: First, how have publications evolved from 2000 to 2016 in blended learning in higher education? Secondly, what themes are frequently…

as well as lower mass loss of the epoxy–rubber blends with increasing rubber concentration have been observed ... vious work (Tripathi and Srivastava 2007). ... stress. The measurements were carried out at a heating rate of 10°C/min from ambient to 350°C at a fixed .... CTBN revealed increased flexibility of the blend sam-.

Purpose: To compare the effects of two states of polymer/polymer blending (dry and aqueous/lyophilized) on the physicomechanical properties of tablets, containing blends of locust bean gum (LB) with Eudragit® E100 (E100) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC) as matrices. Methods: LB, SCMC and E100 were ...

Flour blends were prepared from two cultivars of cocoyam ( and . ), African breadfruit ( ) and wheat ( ) at different proportions and extruded into noodles with a locally fabricated and manually operated singlescrew extruder. Proximate composition and the functional properties of the different flour blends were evaluated. The

The experimental research conducted for this study is based on a blended learning (BL) approach to the teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in China. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of a blended learning approach aimed at improving students' listening and speaking skills.

Combustion behaviour of four coals of varying rank and their binary blends was studied using temperature programmed combustion tests, and thermogravimetric analysis. Characteristic parameters could not be predicted from the weight percentage of individual coals in the blend. 6 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.

An experimental study about ignition of coals and blends was carried out by using an entrained flow reactor (EFR) with continuous feed. Seven coals of varying rank, from subbituminous to semianthracite, were tested and evolving gases (O{sub 2}, CO, CO{sub 2}, NO) were measured. The ignition temperature was evaluated from the evolution profiles of these gases, and correlated inversely to the reactivity of coals, as reflected by increasing values of ignition temperatures in the sequence subbituminous, high volatile bituminous, low volatile bituminous and semianthracite coals. Mechanism of ignition varied from an heterogeneous mechanism (for subbituminous, low volatile bituminous and semianthracite coals) to an homogeneous mechanism (for high volatile bituminous coal). Experiments with coal blends showed that if a low volatile bituminous coal is blended with a high volatile bituminous coal, the latter determines the value of the ignition temperature and ignition mechanism of the blend, when its percentage in the blend is 50% or higher. For blends of subbituminous and high volatile bituminous coals, the ignition mechanism of the blend is determined by the ignition mechanism of the coal with a higher content in the blend. 12 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.

A study was carried out to assess the NOx emissions when the fraction of high-volatile coals in blends with low-volatile coals, such as anthracitic and semianthracitic, was increased. Burnout and NO emissions were determined for individual coals and their blends. 4 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the utilization of silkworm caterpillar meat (SCM) blended with soybean meal (SBM) as a dietary protein source in the practical diet of Heterobranchus bidorsalis fingerlings (M±SE=17.04±_0.02g). The fish were fed five isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets containing blends of SCM ...

This study explores how blended learning can contribute to interior design students' learning outcomes, their engagement with non-studio courses and affect their learning achievements. Within the framework of the study, a blended learning experience was carried out in "IAED 342 Building Performance" module at Bilkent University, Turkey.…

School districts across the United States are implementing blended learning to boost student achievement. The authors convened several California school district superintendents to answer the questions: "What are the barriers, real or perceived, to implementing blended learning in your district?" and "Have you found solutions to or…

Blended learning combines face-to-face class based and online teaching and learning delivery in order to increase flexibility in how, when, and where students study and learn. The development, integration, and promotion of blended learning in frameworks of curriculum design can optimize the opportunities afforded by information and communication…

There is an increased focus on student engagement and blended approaches to learning in higher education. This article demonstrates how collaborative learning applications and a blended approach to learning can be used to design and support assessment activities that increase levels of student engagement with course concepts, their peers, faculty…

Methods: LB, SCMC and E100 were blended in their dry (as purchased) state or modified by aqueous blending and subsequent lyophilization, prior to use as matrices in tablets. ... pullulan from Aureobasidium pullulans, 3-(3,4- .... the frozen polymer before sublimation and drying). Subsequently, milling generated a more.

Patterns in student accesses of online materials and their effects upon student performance in a blended course are examined. Our blended course is an introductory business and economic statistics course where lectures are only available online while the traditional class period is used for complementary learning activities. Timing, volumes,…

Large photovoltaic responses have been recently observed in devices based on conjugated polymer-C-60 blends. Their enhanced performance, which relies on the formation of a bicontinuous network of donor-acceptor heterojunctions, is very sensitive to the morphology of the blend. In this paper, we

This article describes an Oakland Unified schools program of "blended learning" that is designed to reach students who are academically all over the map. Blended learning combines brick-and-mortar schooling with online education "with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace" of learning. The program…

On nylon 6 and nylon 6/EPDM blends the influence of water on the glass transition temperature, mechanical properties, and the ductile transition temperature was studied. Blends of 10% and 20% were prepared with a particle size of 0.3 µm and the tensile properties, flexural moduli, torsion moduli,

Thermo-physical properties of bread made from wheat, cassava and soybean blends were investigated. During investigation, the organoleptic acceptance of the composite wheat, cassava and soy bread was determined. All the blend ratios were exposed to equal heating rate during baking at set temperature of 230oC. The ...

Usefulness and ease of use proved to be key determinants of the acceptance and usage of e-learning. On the contrary, little is known about students' perceptions in a blended learning setting. In this paper, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was utilised, in order to investigate Greek university students' attitudes toward blended learning. The…

Polymer blends having high impact resistance after mechanical working are produced by blending together a non-elastomeric monovinylidene aromatic polymer such as polystyrene with an elastomeric copolymer, such as a block copolymer of styrene and butadiene, in the form of crosslinked, colloidal size particles

Blending and nudging methods have been recently applied in fluid dynamics, particularly regarding the assimilation of experimental data into the computations. In the paper we formally derive the differential equation associated to blending and compare it to the standard nudging equation. Some simple considerations related to these techniques and their mutual relations are exposed. (paper)

Blending and nudging methods have been recently applied in fluid dynamics, particularly regarding the assimilation of experimental data into the computations. In the paper we formally derive the differential equation associated to blending and compare it to the standard nudging equation. Some simple considerations related to these techniques and their mutual relations are exposed.

Microstructural investigations below the fracture surface have revealed that the rubber particles in a number of polymer-rubber blends were deformed into remarkable S-like shapes. These shapes seem to have been largely ignored in previous microstructural studies of blends, but in fact cannot be

This article examines the nature and evolution of the term blended learning (BL), which encompasses numerous connotations, including its conception as a strategy, delivery mode, opportunity, educational shift, or pedagogical approach. Although much has been said in this field, very few studies examine the different types of blends behind their…

Biodigestion of the wastes blends and control was carried out simultaneously under the same environmental and operational conditions of 30 days retention period using four metallic biodigesters of 32 L capacity each. The biogas yield result shows that blend 2 yielded the highest cumulative biogas of 78.5 L, while the least ...

Full Text Available Distance education environments can take many forms, from asynchronous to blended synchronous environments. Blended synchronous learning environment (BSLE can be defined as an innovative setting in which students can decide to attend classes either face-to-face or via a synchronous virtual connection. Many educators are unfamiliar teaching in BSLE because of lack of experience or exposure to this delivery method. Thus, it is important to understand the optimal organisational structures and the effective management of BSLE courses to facilitate student learning and interaction. Seeking to understand this teaching method, an exploratory mixed-method study was conducted to examine graduate students’ perceptions of the BSLE. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected from a questionnaire and analysed. The findings revealed that students were satisfied with the BSLE, interactions, and the instructor. However, findings showed that the instructor divided attention between face-to-face and online synchronous students, which can cause cognitive overload and compromise the quality of instruction. Additionally, this study suggests that technical difficulties can affect students’ satisfaction with BSLE courses. Implications for further research and limitations are discussed.

Full Text Available In this article I will share a qualitative self-study about a 15-week blended 100% online graduate level course facilitated through synchronous meetings on Blackboard Collaborate and asynchronous discussions on Blackboard. I taught the course at the University of Tennessee (UT during the spring 2012 semester and the course topic was online learning environments. The primary research question of this study was: How can the designer/instructor optimize learning experiences for students who are studying about online learning environments in a blended online course relying on both synchronous and asynchronous technologies? I relied on student reflections of course activities during the beginning, middle, and the end of the semester as the primary data source to obtain their insights regarding course experiences. Through the experiences involved in designing and teaching the course and engaging in this study I found that there is room in the instructional technology research community to address strategies for facilitating online synchronous learning that complement asynchronous learning. Synchronous online whole class meetings and well-structured small group meetings can help students feel a stronger sense of connection to their peers and instructor and stay engaged with course activities. In order to provide meaningful learning spaces in synchronous learning environments, the instructor/designer needs to balance the tension between embracing the flexibility that the online space affords to users and designing deliberate structures that will help them take advantage of the flexible space.

The quality determination of biofuels requires identifying the chemical and physical parameters. The key physical parameters are rheological, thermal and electrical properties. In our study, we investigated samples of diesel blends with rape-seed methyl esters content in the range from 3 to 100%. In these, we measured basic thermophysical properties, including thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity, using two different transient methods - the hot-wire method and the dynamic plane source. Every thermophysical parameter was measured 100 times using both methods for all samples. Dynamic viscosity was measured during the heating process under the temperature range 20-80°C. A digital rotational viscometer (Brookfield DV 2T) was used for dynamic viscosity detection. Electrical conductivity was measured using digital conductivity meter (Model 1152) in a temperature range from -5 to 30°C. The highest values of thermal parameters were reached in the diesel sample with the highest biofuel content. The dynamic viscosity of samples increased with higher concentration of bio-component rapeseed methyl esters. The electrical conductivity of blends also increased with rapeseed methyl esters content.

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and isotactic polypropylene (PP) blend were produced in film form and were characterized by a number of techniques such as wide-angle x-ray diffraction (WAXD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and instron tensile testing. Results of WAXD and DTA showed conclusively that the two components in the blend are incompatible. SEM micrographs indicated that the 60/40 and 40/60 PP/PE blends show approximately fine homogeneous dispersion of the minor component into the matrix of the major component. The mechanical properties of the blend films improved with respect to the PE homo polymer. The improvement was more remarkable with the increase of the PP component in the blend. Results obtained in this work were explained in terms of crystallinity and the crystallite orientation. 28 refs., 29 figs., 5 tabs. (A.M.H.)

Full Text Available A blend of sodium humate (SH with anionic surfactants such as sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES was prepared by solution mixing at medium of herbal oils at 25, 50 and 75°C. Its miscibility studies were carried out by using physical techniques over an extended range of concentration and composition in buffer solution. In addition, to ascertain the state of miscibility of the blends, they were investigated by using UV-visible spectrophotometer and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR. These values revealed that the blend is miscible when the sodium humate content is more than %60 in the blend at all temperatures. There were no important differences in the characteristics of the blends at different temperatures.It was thought that the mechanism ofthe complex formation is realized by making strong intermolecular interaction like hydrogen bonds between the carbonyl groups in humic acid and hydroxyl groups in fatty acids.

Combustion profiles determined by TGA and experiments in a laminar entrained flow reactor (EFR) were used in this work to assess the relative combustion reactivities of different rank coals and their binary coal blends. The combustion behaviour of coal blends in TGA was greatly influenced by coal rank and the proportion of each component in the blend. Higher volatile coals exerted more influence in the low-temperature region and less reactive coals in the char combustion zone. The results in the EFR indicated that coal blends burnout and NO emissions show additivity in the case of similar nature coals. When one of the components was a high-rank coal, the burnout of the blend exhibited, in some cases, positive synergistic effects, while a clear deviation from linearity was found in NO emissions.

In this work, a series of coals with different origin and rank were blended and several aspects of the resultant blends were studied. This included determination of the grindability of individual coals and blends by means of the Hardgrove Grindability Index (HGI), and temperature programmed combustion test, which were carried out in a thermogravimetric analyser (TG) coupled to a quadruple mass spectrometer (MS) for evolved gas analysis. Special attention was paid to the combustibility parameters and the NO emissions during blends combustion. It was found that while some coal blends present interaction between the individual coals, others do not. This behaviour was assumed to be due to the differences in coal structure and functional groups composition. 18 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs.

and explore how the use of blended learning affects teachers’ approaches to teaching and students’ approaches to learning in higher education. So far, there has been relatively limited research on approaches to teaching in blended learning (González 2010; Lameras et al., 2012). In one study, Ellis et al....... In order to identify appropriate uses of blended learning in Higher Education and to enable the tailoring of teaching approaches to the different needs of an increasingly diverse student body, more knowledge is needed on how to integrate blended learning in educational settings and how best to address...... a new strategic focus on 'Educational IT’ with the purpose of strengthening teaching and learning through use of online interactions. Some of the major challenges in the development of this strategy include how to, identify rationales for using blended learning, stimulate pedagogical reflections...

Full Text Available Biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel derived from living plants or animal matter can be used directly in their neat forms or as blends with their fossil counterparts in internal combustion engines. Although the properties and performance of neat biofuels have been extensively reported, this is not the case for many blends. The purpose of this review is to analyze different forms of biofuel blends that are under research and development comparing their utility and performance in the two primary classes of engines, i.e., spark ignition and compression ignition engines. The fuel properties, performance and emission characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of various fuel blends are compared and discussed. The analysis reveals certain blends possess better overall fuel properties and yield better overall performance than the neat or fossil forms.

Blended learning provides many benefits to the flexibility of time, place and situation constraints. The research’s objectives was describing the factors that determine the successful implementation of blended learning in vocational higher education. The research used a qualitative approach, data collected through observations and interviews by questionnare based on the CSFs indicators refers to TAM and Kliger. Data analysis was inductive method. The result provided an illustration that the success of vocational blended learning implementation was largely determined by the selection of instructional models that are inline with learning achievement target. The effectiveness of blended learning required the existence of policy support, readiness of IT infrastructure. Changing lecturer’s culture by utilizing ICT can also encourage the accelerated process of successful implementation. It can concluded that determinant factor of successful implementation of blended learning in vocational education is determined by teacher’s ability in mastering the pedagogical knowledge of designing instructional models.

A new method based on positron lifetime spectroscopy is developed to characterize individual interfaces in ternary polymer blends and hence determine the composition dependent miscibility level. The method owes its origin to the Kirkwood-Risemann-Zimm (KRZ) model for the evaluation of the hydrodynamic interaction parameters (α ij ) which was used successfully for a binary blend with a single interface. The model was revised for the present work for ternary polymer blends to account for three interfaces. The efficacy of this method is shown for two ternary blends namely poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)/poly (ethylene-co-vinylacetate)/poly(vinyl chloride) (SAN/EVA/PVC) and polycaprolactone /poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)/poly(vinyl chloride) (PCL/SAN/PVC) at different compositions. An effective hydrodynamic interaction parameter, α eff , was introduced to predict the overall miscibility of ternary blends.

The octane responses of gasoline/ethanol mixtures are not well understood because of the unidentified intermolecular interactions in such blends. In general, when ethanol is blended with gasoline, the Research Octane Number (RON) and the Motor Octane Number (MON) non-linearly increase or decrease, and the non-linearity is determined by the composition of the base gasoline and the amount of added ethanol. The complexity of commercial gasolines, comprising of hundreds of different components, makes it challenging to understand ethanol-gasoline synergistic/antagonistic blending effects. Understanding ethanol blending effects with simpler gasoline surrogates is critical to acquire knowledge about ethanol blending with complex multi-component gasoline fuels. In this study, the octane numbers (ON) of ethanol blends with five relevant gasoline surrogate molecules were measured. The molecules investigated in this study include: n-pentane, iso-pentane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, cyclopentane and 1-hexene. These new measurements along with the available data of n-heptane, iso-octane, toluene, various primary reference fuels (PRF) and toluene primary reference fuels (TPRF) with ethanol are used to develop a blending rule for the octane response (RON and MON) of multi-component blends with ethanol. In addition, new ON data are collected for six Fuels for Advanced Combustion Engine (FACE) with ethanol. The relatively simple volume based model successfully predicts the octane numbers (ON) of the various ethanol/PRF and ethanol/TPRF blends with the majority of predictions being within the ASTM D2699 (RON) and D2700 (MON) reproducibility limits. The model is also successfully validated against the ON of the FACE gasolines blended with ethanol with the majority of predictions being within the reproducibility limits. Finally, insights into the possible causes of the synergistic and antagonistic effects of different molecules with ethanol are provided.

The octane responses of gasoline/ethanol mixtures are not well understood because of the unidentified intermolecular interactions in such blends. In general, when ethanol is blended with gasoline, the Research Octane Number (RON) and the Motor Octane Number (MON) non-linearly increase or decrease, and the non-linearity is determined by the composition of the base gasoline and the amount of added ethanol. The complexity of commercial gasolines, comprising of hundreds of different components, makes it challenging to understand ethanol-gasoline synergistic/antagonistic blending effects. Understanding ethanol blending effects with simpler gasoline surrogates is critical to acquire knowledge about ethanol blending with complex multi-component gasoline fuels. In this study, the octane numbers (ON) of ethanol blends with five relevant gasoline surrogate molecules were measured. The molecules investigated in this study include: n-pentane, iso-pentane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, cyclopentane and 1-hexene. These new measurements along with the available data of n-heptane, iso-octane, toluene, various primary reference fuels (PRF) and toluene primary reference fuels (TPRF) with ethanol are used to develop a blending rule for the octane response (RON and MON) of multi-component blends with ethanol. In addition, new ON data are collected for six Fuels for Advanced Combustion Engine (FACE) with ethanol. The relatively simple volume based model successfully predicts the octane numbers (ON) of the various ethanol/PRF and ethanol/TPRF blends with the majority of predictions being within the ASTM D2699 (RON) and D2700 (MON) reproducibility limits. The model is also successfully validated against the ON of the FACE gasolines blended with ethanol with the majority of predictions being within the reproducibility limits. Finally, insights into the possible causes of the synergistic and antagonistic effects of different molecules with ethanol are provided.

This paper presents research exploring teachers' experiences of using blended learning in vocational education. Teachers involved in designing and teaching using blended learning from a major Australian vocational education provider participated in the study. They received open-ended questionnaires asking to describe their conceptions of blended…

If we are to realise the potential of blended learning in higher education, then further research into academic practice and relevant academic development is essential. Our review of literature on blended learning in higher education reveals an interesting scholarship landscape which, when described in detail, pointedly directs attention to the…

Blends containing 75 wt. % of an amorphous polylactide (PLA) with two different molecular weights and 25 wt. % of a poly[(butylene adipate)-co-terephthalate] (PBAT) were prepared using either a Brabender batch mixer or a twin-screw extruder. These compounds were selected because blending PLA with PBAT can overcome various drawbacks of PLA such as its brittleness and processability limitations. In this study, we investigated the effects of varying the molecular weight of the PLA matrix and of two different mixing processes on the blend morphology and, further, on droplet coalescence during shearing. The rheological properties of these blends were investigated and the interfacial properties were analyzed using the Palierne emulsion model. Droplet coalescence was investigated by applying shear flows of 0.05 and 0.20 s"−"1 at a fixed strain of 60. Subsequently, small amplitude oscillatory shear tests were conducted to investigate changes in the viscoelastic properties. The morphology of the blends was also examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs. It was observed that the PBAT droplets were much smaller when twin-screw extrusion was used for the blend preparation. Shearing at 0.05 s"−"1 induced significant droplet coalescence in all blends, but coalescence and changes in the viscoelastic properties were much more pronounced for the PLA-PBAT blend based on a lower molecular weight PLA. The viscoelastic responses were also somehow affected by the thermal degradation of the PLA matrix during the experiments.

property values are verified by means of rigorous models for the properties and the mixtures. Besides the methodology, as the main contribution, specific supporting tools that were developed to perform each task are also important contributions of this research work. The applicability of the developed...... important in daily life, since they not only keep people moving around, but also guarantee that machines and equipment work smoothly. The objective of this work is to tackle the blending problems using computer-aided tools for the initial stage of the product design. A systematic methodology for design...... methodology and tools was tested through two case studies. In the first case study, two different gasoline blend problems have been solved. In the second case study, four different lubricant design problems have been solved....

3D fine porous structures obtained by electrospinning a poly[(R,S)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (aPHB)/ poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB) (85/15 w/w) blend were successfully modified with human procollagen type I by simple immersion of the polyester scaffold in an aqueous solution of the protein. Effective modification of the scaffold with human procollagen I was confirmed by an immunodetection test, which revealed the presence of the procollagen type I as an outer layer even on inner structures of the porous matrixes. Biological tests of 3D fabrics made of the PHB blend provide support for the adhesion and proliferation of human fibroblasts, while their modification with procollagen type I increased the biocompatibility of the final scaffolds significantly, as shown by the notable increase in the number of attached cells during the early hours of their incubation. Based on these findings, human procollagen type I surface-modified aPHB/PHB scaffolds should be considered a promising material in regenerative medicine. (paper)

Blends consisting of physically refined rice bran oil (PRBO): sunflower oil (SnF) and PRBO: safflower oil (SAF) in different proportions were analyzed for various physicochemical parameters. The quantification of pure rice bran oil in the blended oils was carried out using different methods including gas chromatographic, HPLC, ultrasonic velocity and methods based on physico-chemical parameters. The physicochemical parameters such as ultrasonic velocity, relative association and acoustic impedance at 2 MHz, iodine value, palmitic acid content and oryzanol content reflected significant changes with increased proportions of PRBO in the blended oils. These parameters were selected as dependent parameters and % PRBO proportion was selected as independent parameters. The study revealed that regression equations based on the oryzanol content, palmitic acid composition, ultrasonic velocity, relative association, acoustic impedance, and iodine value can be used for the quantification of rice bran oil in blended oils. The rice bran oil can easily be quantified in the blended oils based on the oryzanol content by HPLC even at a 1% level. The palmitic acid content in blended oils can also be used as an indicator to quantify rice bran oil at or above the 20% level in blended oils whereas the method based on ultrasonic velocity, acoustic impedance and relative association showed initial promise in the quantification of rice bran oil. (Author) 23 refs.

Blended learning in which online education is combined with face-to-face education is especially useful for (future) health care professionals who need to keep up-to-date. Blended learning can make learning more efficient, for instance by removing barriers of time and distance. In the past distance-based learning activities have often been associated with traditional delivery-based methods, individual learning and limited contact. The central question in this paper is: can blended learning be active and collaborative? Three cases of blended, active and collaborative learning are presented. In case 1 a virtual classroom is used to realize online problem-based learning (PBL). In case 2 PBL cases are presented in Second Life, a 3D immersive virtual world. In case 3 discussion forums, blogs and wikis were used. In all cases face-to-face meetings were also organized. Evaluation results of the three cases clearly show that active, collaborative learning at a distance is possible. Blended learning enables the use of novel instructional methods and student-centred education. The three cases employ different educational methods, thus illustrating diverse possibilities and a variety of learning activities in blended learning. Interaction and communication rules, the role of the teacher, careful selection of collaboration tools and technical preparation should be considered when designing and implementing blended learning.

Biodiesel is a renewable, clean, alternative energy source with advantages, such as excellent lubricity, superior biodegradability, and high combustion efficiency. Biodiesel is considered for mixing with fishing boat fuels to adjust their fuel characteristics so that toxic pollutants and greenhouse-effect gas emissions from such shipping might be reduced. The effects of blending fishing boat fuels A and B with various weight proportions of biodiesel are experimentally investigated in this study. The results show that biodiesel blending can significantly improve the inferior fuel properties of both fishing boat fuels and particularly fuel B. The flash points of both of these fuels increases significantly with the addition of biodiesel and thus enhances the safety of transporting and storing these blended fuels. The flash point of fishing boat fuel B even increases by 16% if 25 wt.% biodiesel is blended. The blending of biodiesel with no sulfur content is found to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the high sulfur content of fishing boat fuel, resulting in a reduction in the emission of sulfur oxides. The addition of only 25 wt.% biodiesel decreased the sulfur content of the fishing boat fuel by 37%. The high kinematic viscosity of fishing boat fuel B was also observed to be reduced by 63% with the blending of just 25 wt.% biodiesel. However, biodiesel blending caused a slight decrease in heating value around 1–4.5%.

Full Text Available The Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method was used for analysing coal-solid waste blend reactivity in an oxidising atmosphere. The presence of biomass strongly affected coal combustion kinetics when the blend contained more than 30% of it. Activation energy values (evaluated by different blends were 28.7495 kJ/mol for 0% biomass, 31.3915 kJ/mol for 30% biomass, 39.0365 kJ/mol for 50% biomass, 102.431 kJ/mol for 70% biomass and 107.8075 kJ/mol for 100% biomass; these values were close to those reported in the literature. First-order kinetics correlated the data ve-ry well for the 100% coal sample and the blend having 30% biomass and 70% coal. Eighth-order kinetics were more suitable for correlating the experimental data for the 70% biomass-30% coal blend and the 100% biomass sample. Combustion was done without previous pyrolysis of the blends; however segregation of phenomena could be appre-ciated. This seems to indicate that combustion and devolatilisation are independent processes which should be taken into account when building equipment using these kinds of blend.

Biodiesel is a renewable, clean, alternative energy source with advantages, such as excellent lubricity, superior biodegradability, and high combustion efficiency. Biodiesel is considered for mixing with fishing boat fuels to adjust their fuel characteristics so that toxic pollutants and greenhouse-effect gas emissions from such shipping might be reduced. The effects of blending fishing boat fuels A and B with various weight proportions of biodiesel are experimentally investigated in this study. The results show that biodiesel blending can significantly improve the inferior fuel properties of both fishing boat fuels and particularly fuel B. The flash points of both of these fuels increases significantly with the addition of biodiesel and thus enhances the safety of transporting and storing these blended fuels. The flash point of fishing boat fuel B even increases by 16% if 25 wt.% biodiesel is blended. The blending of biodiesel with no sulfur content is found to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the high sulfur content of fishing boat fuel, resulting in a reduction in the emission of sulfur oxides. The addition of only 25 wt.% biodiesel decreased the sulfur content of the fishing boat fuel by 37%. The high kinematic viscosity of fishing boat fuel B was also observed to be reduced by 63% with the blending of just 25 wt.% biodiesel. However, biodiesel blending caused a slight decrease in heating value around 1–4.5%.

Full Text Available Compatibilized blends of polypropylene (PP and polyamide-12 (PA12 as a second component were obtained by direct injection molding having first added 20% maleic anhydride-modified copolymer (PP-g-MA to the PP, which produced partially grafted PP (gPP. A nucleating effect of the PA12 took place on the cooling crystallization of the gPP, and a second crystallization peak of the gPP appeared in the PA12-rich blends, indicating changes in the crystalline morphology. There was a slight drop in the PA12 crystallinity of the compatible blends, whereas the crystallinity of the gPP increased significantly in the PA12-rich blends. The overall reduction in the dispersed phase particle size together with the clear increase in ductility when gPP was used instead of PP proved that compatibilization occurred. Young’s modulus of the blends showed synergistic behavior. This is proposed to be both due to a change in the crystalline morphology of the blends on the one hand and, on the other, in the PA12-rich blends, to the clear increase in the crystallinity of the gPP phase, which may, in turn, have been responsible for the increase in its continuity and its contribution to the modulus.

Full Text Available In this paper, the curing and mechanical properties of two series of prepared blends, i.e., chlorosulphonated polyethylene (CSM/isobutylene-co-isoprene (IIR rubber blends and chlorosulphonated polyethylene (CSM/chlorinated isobutylene-co-isoprene (CIIR rubber blends were carried out. Blends were prepared using a two-roll mill at a temperature of 40-50 °C. The curing was assessed using a Monsanto oscillating disc rheometer R-100. The process of vulcanization accelerated sulfur of pure rubbers and their blends was carried out in an electrically heated laboratory hydraulic press under a pressure of about 4 MPa and 160 °C. The stress-strain experiments were performed using a tensile tester machine (Zwick 1425. Results indicate that the scorch time, ts2, and optimum cure time, tc90, increase with increasing CSM content in both blends. The value of modulus at 100 and 300% elongation and tensile strength increases with increasing CSM content, whereas elongation at break shows a decreasing trend. The enhancement in mechanical properties was supported by data of crosslink density in these samples obtained from swelling measurement and scanning electron microscopy studies of the rubber blends fractured surfaces

Full Text Available In the 21st century, information and communication technologies (ICT have developed rapidly and influenced most of the fields and education as well. Then, ICT have offered a favorable environment for the development and use of various methods and tools. With the developments in technology, blended learning has gained considerable popularity in recent years. Together with the developments it brought along the description of particular forms of teaching with technology. Blended learning is defined simply as a learning environment that combines technology with face-to-face learning. In other words blended learning means using a variety of delivery methods to best meet the course objectives by combining face-to-face teaching in a traditional classroom with teaching online. This article examines students’ views on blended learning environment. The study was conducted on 64 students from Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies in 2005–2006 fall semester in Instructional Design and Authoring Languages in PC Environment at Hacettepe University. The results showed that the students enjoyed taking part in the blended learning environment. Students’ achievement levels and their frequency of participation to forum affected their views about blended learning environment. Face-to-face interaction in blended learning application had the highest score. This result demonstrated the importance of interaction and communication for the success of on-line learning.

Full Text Available Abstract Silk sericin (SS/silk fibroin (SF blend nanofibers have been produced by electrospinning in a binary SS/SF trifluoroacetic acid (TFA solution system, which was prepared by mixing 20 wt.% SS TFA solution and 10 wt.% SF TFA solution to give different compositions. The diameters of the SS/SF nanofibers ranged from 33 to 837 nm, and they showed a round cross section. The surface of the SS/SF nanofibers was smooth, and the fibers possessed a bead-free structure. The average diameters of the SS/SF (75/25, 50/50, and 25/75 blend nanofibers were much thicker than that of SS and SF nanofibers. The SS/SF (100/0, 75/25, and 50/50 blend nanofibers were easily dissolved in water, while the SS/SF (25/75 and 0/100 blend nanofibers could not be completely dissolved in water. The SS/SF blend nanofibers could not be completely dissolved in methanol. The SS/SF blend nanofibers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and differential thermal analysis. FTIR showed that the SS/SF blend nanofibers possessed a random coil conformation and ß-sheet structure.

-based teaching materials. This paper presents the experiences of this particular project, and goes on to discuss the following points: • The blended learning design – use of IT for teaching, learning and communication • Digital learning materials – principals of design and use • Work place learning and learning......In 2014, a new system has been put in place for the inspection and approval of social welfare institutions in Denmark. In as little as 10 weeks, 330 new employees in five regional centres participated in an introductory course, designed as work place learning with extensive use of e-learning and IT...... from work – the interplay between experiences of the learner and the curriculum of the program •The approach taken to customising the e-learning design to the needs and demands of a particular case....

Full Text Available This paper presents a case study that describes and discusses the problems encountered during the design and implementation of a blended learning course, largely taught online through a web-based learning environment. Based on Moore's theory of transactional distance, the course was explicitly designed to have dialogue at its heart. However, the reality of systemic behaviours caused by delivering such a course within a group of conventional further and higher educational institutions has led to an entirely unanticipated reversion to structure, with unpleasant consequences for both quality and quantity of dialogue. The paper looks at some of the reasons for this drift, and suggests that some of the disappointing results (in particular in terms of the quality of the students' experience and associated poor retention can be attributed to the lack of dialogue, and consequent increase in transactional distance. It concludes with a description and evaluation of steps currently being taken to correct this behaviour.

Do we need to quantize gravity, as it is tacitly assumed in much of fundamental physics? The standard lore falls short of justifying an affirmative answer. Black hole thermodynamics is widely considered, faint though it may be, our firmest hint at a quantum theory of gravity - despite the failure to date to observe Hawking radiation or any other effect that would require going beyond a classical description of black holes. Hawking radiation hitherto merely enjoys a theoretical derivation in a semi-classical theory combining quantum matter with classical gravity. But how can a semi-classical melange of physical principles possibly justify that the quantum and gravity are blended into a unified fundamental theory when the latter is generally expected to reject at least some of the principles in the former?.

Full Text Available the accounting lectures have a big challengeb to improve the quality of graduates who are expected to have high knowledge and skill, to have good critical analysis and decision making. Thus: accounting lecturers are needed to improve their teaching and learning processes especially on learning design and assessment. Improving students knowledge and skill in accounting field can be created by using learning philosophy which makes students active and integrative in the class room. this articles discusses about the innovation of accounting learning with blended learning which collaborates cooperative learning and e-learning. Cooperative learning is a learning approach which emphasizes on structured behavior to cooperate in groups it can improve students interpersonal skill, cooperation, critical analysis and decision making. On the other hand, the application of cooperative learning needs more time so it can be solved by using computer with e-learning.

Geopolymer is an environmentally attractive Portland cement substitute, owing to its lower carbon footprint and its ability to consume various aluminosilicate waste materials as its precursors. This work describes the development of geopolymer formulation based on biomass-coal ash blends, which is predicted to be the prevalent type of waste when biomass-based thermal energy production becomes mainstream in Indonesia. The ash blends contain an ASTM Class F coal fly ash (FA), rice husk ash (RHA), and coconut shell ash (CSA). A mixture of Na2SiO3 and concentrated KOH is used as the activator solution. A preliminary experiment identified the appropriate activator/ash mass ratio to be 2.0, while the activator Na2SiO3/KOH ratio varies from 0.8 to 2.0 with increasing ash blend Si/Al ratio. Both non-blended FA and CSA are able to produce geopolymer mortars with 7-day compressive strength exceeding the Indonesian national SNI 15-2049-2004 standard minimum value of 2.0 MPa stipulated for Portland cement mortars. Ash blends have to be formulated with a maximum RHA content of approximately 50 %-mass to yield satisfactory 7-day strength. No optimum ash blend composition is identified within the simplex ternary ash blend compositional region. The strength decreases with Si/Al ratio of the ash blends due to increasing amount of unreacted silicate raw materials at the end of the geopolymer hardening period. Overall, it is confirmed that CSA and blended RHA are feasible raw materials for geopolymer production..

Nurses are experiencing new ethical issues as a result of global developments and changes in health care. With health care becoming increasingly sophisticated, and countries facing challenges of graying population, ethical issues involved in health care are bound to expand in quantity and in depth. Blended learning rather as a combination of multiple delivery media designed to promote meaningful learning. Specifically, this study was focused on two questions: (1) the students' satisfaction and attitudes as members of a scenario-based learning process in a blended learning environment; (2) the relationship between students' satisfaction ratings of nursing ethics course and their attitudes in the blended learning environment. In total, 99 senior undergraduate nursing students currently studying at a public nursing college in Taiwan were invited to participate in this study. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted in this study. The participants were asked to fill out two Likert-scale questionnaire surveys: CAAS (Case Analysis Attitude Scale), and BLSS (Blended Learning Satisfaction Scale). The results showed what students felt about their blended learning experiences - mostly items ranged from 3.27-3.76 (the highest score is 5). Another self-assessment of scenario analysis instrument revealed the mean scores ranged from 2.87-4.19. Nearly 57.8% of the participants rated the course 'extremely helpful' or 'very helpful.' This study showed statistically significant correlations (r=0.43) between students' satisfaction with blended learning and case analysis attitudes. In addition, results testified to a potential of the blended learning model proposed in this study to bridge the gap between students and instructors and the one between students and their peers, which are typical of blended learning, and to create meaningful learning by employing blended pedagogical consideration in the course design. The use of scenario instruction enables students to develop critical

Blending, or mixing, processes in 1.3 million gallon nuclear waste tanks are complicated by the fact that miles of serpentine, vertical, cooling coils are installed in the tanks. As a step toward investigating blending interference due to coils in this type of tank, a 1/10.85 scale tank and pump model were constructed for pilot scale testing. A series of tests were performed in this scaled tank by adding blue dye to visualize blending, and by adding acid or base tracers to solution to quantify the time required to effectively blend the tank contents. The acid and base tests were monitored with pH probes, which were located in the pilot scale tank to ensure that representative samples were obtained. Using the probes, the hydronium ion concentration [H + ] was measured to ensure that a uniform concentration was obtained throughout the tank. As a result of pilot scale testing, a significantly improved understanding of mixing, or blending, in nuclear waste tanks has been achieved. Evaluation of test data showed that cooling coils in the waste tank model increased pilot scale blending times by 200% in the recommended operating range, compared to previous theoretical estimates of a 10-50% increase. Below the planned operating range, pilot scale blending times were increased by as much as 700% in a tank with coils installed. One pump, rather than two or more, was shown to effectively blend the tank contents, and dual pump nozzles installed parallel to the tank wall were shown to provide optimal blending. In short, experimental results varied significantly from expectations.

A systematic methodology for design of tailor-made blended products has been developed. In tailor-made blended products, one identifies the product needs and matches them by blending different chemicals. The systematic methodology has four main tasks. First, the design problem is defined: the pro......, the methodology is highlighted through two case studies involving gasoline blends and lubricant base oils....

Identities, quantities, and costs associated with producing a set of selected enrichments and blending them to provide fuel for existing reactors are investigated using an optimization model constructed with appropriate constraints. Selected enrichments are required for either nuclear reactor fuel standardization or potential uranium enrichment alternatives such as the gas centrifuge. Using a mixed-integer linear program, the model minimizes present worth costs for a 39-product-enrichment reference case. For four ingredients, the marginal blending cost is only 0.18% of the total direct production cost. Natural uranium is not an optimal blending ingredient. Optimal values reappear in most sets of ingredient enrichments

Full Text Available Blended e-learning is becoming an educational issue especially with the new development of e-learning technology and globalization. Educators as the question: can we design these systems to accommodate different cultural groups and various learning strategies. This paper addresses some design issues when selecting a blended e-learning approach; it discusses some cultural elements that affect the design of blended e-learning. The paper also explores issues related to learning design, then emphasizes on the importance of cultural learning objects (CLO and its role in the design of multimedia-based e-learning systems.

Polymer blends show a much larger 3d-Ising regime, e.g. a much larger Ginzburg number Gi than predicted by the Ginzburg criterion. This discrepancy is supposed to be explained by the compressibility or the free volume of the blend. In this paper we present and discuss the Gi number of polymer...... on monomeric microstructure and on pressure. This clearly shows that Gi is not a universal function. The observed strong decrease of Gi with pressure is a clear experimental proof that the critical crossover behaviour in polymer blends is indeed strongly influenced by the compressibility or free volume...

Preliminary evaluation for blending Hanford site waste with the objective of minimizing the amount of high-level waste (HLW) glass volumes without major changes to the overall waste retrieval and processing sequences currently planned. The evaluation utilizes simplified spreadsheet models developed to allow screening type comparisons of blending options without the need to use the Hanford Tank Waste Operations Simulator (HTWOS) model. The blending scenarios evaluated are expected to increase tank farm operation costs due to increased waste transfers. Benefit would be derived from shorter operating time period for tank waste processing facilities, reduced onsite storage of immobilized HLW, and reduced offsite transportation and disposal costs for the immobilized HLW.

Full Text Available Ultrafast hole transfer dynamics from fullerene derivative to polymer in bulk heterojunction blends are studied with visible-pump - IR-probe spectroscopy. The hole transfer process is found to occur in 50/300 fs next to the interface, while a longer 15-ps time is attributed to exciton diffusion towards interface in PC71BM domains. High polaron generation efficiency in P3HT blends indicates excellent intercalation between the polymer and the fullerene even at highest PC71BM concentration thereby yielding a valuable information on the blend morphology.

A phosphor blend comprises at least two phosphors each selected from one of the groups of phosphors that absorb UV electromagnetic radiation and emit in a region of visible light. The phosphor blend can be applied to a discharge gas radiation source to produce light sources having high color rendering index. A phosphor blend is advantageously includes the phosphor (Tb,Y,LuLa,Gd).sub.x(Al,Ga).sub.yO.sub.12:Ce.sup.3+, wherein x is in the range from about 2.8 to and including 3 and y is in the range from about 4 to and including 5.

This publication serves as a directory of ethanol-blended gasoline retailers in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and the Yukon. The listings include the name and address of the retailer. The listing is organized by province and cities, beginning with the Yukon in the west and proceeding east to Quebec. A list of bulk purchase facilities of ethanol-blended fuels is also included. As of December 1998, there were a total of 929 retail outlets for ethanol blended gasoline in Canada

Blending fullerenes with a donor polymer for the fabrication of organic solar cells often leads to at least partial vitrification of one, if not both, components. For prototypical poly(3-hexylthiophene):fullerene blend, we show that the addition of a commercial nucleating agent, di(3,4-dimethyl benzylidene)sorbitol, to such binary blends accelerates the crystallization of the donor, resulting in an increase in its degree of crystallinity in as-cast structures. This allows manipulation of the extent of intermixing/ phase separation of the donor and acceptor directly from solution, offering a tool to improve device characteristics such as power conversion efficiency.

Blending fullerenes with a donor polymer for the fabrication of organic solar cells often leads to at least partial vitrification of one, if not both, components. For prototypical poly(3-hexylthiophene):fullerene blend, we show that the addition of a commercial nucleating agent, di(3,4-dimethyl benzylidene)sorbitol, to such binary blends accelerates the crystallization of the donor, resulting in an increase in its degree of crystallinity in as-cast structures. This allows manipulation of the extent of intermixing/ phase separation of the donor and acceptor directly from solution, offering a tool to improve device characteristics such as power conversion efficiency.

The water-in-oil (W/O) emulsification-diffusion method was used for construction of keratin (Ker), alginate (Alg), and Ker/Alg blend microparticles. The Ker, Alg, and Ker/Alg blend solutions were used as the water phase, while ethyl acetate was used as the oil phase. Firstly, different concentrations of Ker solution was used to find suitable content. 1.6% w/v Ker solution was blended with the same concentration of the Alg solution for further microparticle construction. Results from scanning ...

Effects of chemical compositions changes of blended-cement pastes (BCPCCC) on some strength gains of blended cement mortars (BCMSG) were monitored in order to gain a better understanding for developments of hydration and strength of blended cements. Blended cements (BC) were prepared by blending of 5% gypsum and 6%, 20%, 21%, and 35% marble powder (MP) or 6%, 20%, 21%, and 35% brick powder (BP) for CEMI42.5N cement clinker and grinding these portions in ball mill at 30 (min). Pastes and mortars, containing the MP-BC and the BP-BC and the reference cement (RC) and tap water and standard mortar sand, were also mixed and they were cured within water until testing. Experiments included chemical compositions of pastes and compressive strengths (CS) and flexural strengths (FS) of mortars were determined at 7th-day, 28th-day, and 90th-day according to TS EN 196-2 and TS EN 196-1 present standards. Experimental results indicated that ups and downs of silica oxide (SiO2), sodium oxide (Na2O), and alkali at MP-BCPCC and continuously rising movement of silica oxide (SiO2) at BP-BCPCC positively influenced CS and FS of blended cement mortars (BCM) in comparison with reference mortars (RM) at whole cure days as MP up to 6% or BP up to 35% was blended for cement. PMID:24587737

Full Text Available Effects of chemical compositions changes of blended-cement pastes (BCPCCC on some strength gains of blended cement mortars (BCMSG were monitored in order to gain a better understanding for developments of hydration and strength of blended cements. Blended cements (BC were prepared by blending of 5% gypsum and 6%, 20%, 21%, and 35% marble powder (MP or 6%, 20%, 21%, and 35% brick powder (BP for CEMI42.5N cement clinker and grinding these portions in ball mill at 30 (min. Pastes and mortars, containing the MP-BC and the BP-BC and the reference cement (RC and tap water and standard mortar sand, were also mixed and they were cured within water until testing. Experiments included chemical compositions of pastes and compressive strengths (CS and flexural strengths (FS of mortars were determined at 7th-day, 28th-day, and 90th-day according to TS EN 196-2 and TS EN 196-1 present standards. Experimental results indicated that ups and downs of silica oxide (SiO2, sodium oxide (Na2O, and alkali at MP-BCPCC and continuously rising movement of silica oxide (SiO2 at BP-BCPCC positively influenced CS and FS of blended cement mortars (BCM in comparison with reference mortars (RM at whole cure days as MP up to 6% or BP up to 35% was blended for cement.

The mission of this Conversion and Blending Facility (CBF) will be to blend surplus HEU metal and alloy with depleted uranium metal to produce an LEU product. The primary emphasis of this blending operation will be to destroy the weapons capability of large, surplus stockpiles of HEU. The blended LEU product can only be made weapons capable again by the uranium enrichment process. The blended LEU will be produced as a waste suitable for storage or disposal.

This paper presents an algorithm for efficiently recognizing and determining the convexity of an edge blend feature. The algorithm first recognizes all of the edge blend features from the Boundary Representation of a part; then a series of convexity test have been run on the recognized edge blend features. The novelty of the presented algorithm lies in, instead of each recognized blend feature is suppressed as most of researchers did, the recognized blend features of this research are gone th...

The mission of this Conversion and Blending Facility (CBF) will be to blend surplus HEU metal and alloy with depleted uranium metal to produce an LEU product. The primary emphasis of this blending operation will be to destroy the weapons capability of large, surplus stockpiles of HEU. The blended LEU product can only be made weapons capable again by the uranium enrichment process. The blended LEU will be produced as a waste suitable for storage or disposal

physicochemical properties which included acid value, saponification value, peroxide value, iodine ... The oils and their blends were stored in two different conditions; one batch at the air-tight .... about 0.5 ml of starch indicator solution was.

Full Text Available Blended Learning showed in the last two decades to be one of the effective ways in education and training. We illustrate our initiative experience with blended learning in the course Calculus I. The main goals we want to achieve are improving students understanding of the course concepts, increasing the level of uniformity in this multi-sections course and enhancing students blended learning experience online and offline. Consequently, this affects positively students' academic performance. We describe and discuss the results that we achieved and the challenges we encountered in view of the initiative aims and goals. The blended learning delivery methods were through Learning Management System (LMS as the online medium and through new offline activities inside and outside the classroom. The LMS we used is Moodle. We designed the resources and activities to cater for the learners different needs. The offline activities were chosen and designed to strengthen the weakness in students study skills based in our experience.

We explore using GERBS, a blending-type spline construction, to represent deform able thin-plates and model terminal ballistics. Strategies to construct geometry for different scenarios of terminal ballistics are proposed.

This study presents a lifecycle (well-to-wheel) analysis to determine the CO2 emissions associated with ethanol blended gasoline in optimized turbocharged engines. This study provides a more accurate assessment on the best-achievable CO2 emission

Full Text Available The thermomechanical degradation of blends made from polypropylene and polystyrene, with or without compatibilizer, was studied using an internal mixer coupled to a torque rheometer. The blends processed without compatibilizer presented regular and expected results regarding torque reduction, with evidence of chain scission. The blends processed with the block copolymer of styrene and butadiene, SBS, as a compatibilizer presented unchanged or less reduced variation on torque values during processing. The extraction of stabilizers from the compatibilizer before processing did not affect the results. The compatibilizer concentration in the blends was varied, with its influence still being observed in concentrations as low as 0.03 parts per hundred. Similar results were obtained in an experiment comparing the performance of a primary commercial anti-oxidant, Irganox 1076, and the compatibilizer SBS. Therefore, the compatibilizer can be considered as a processing aid agent with positive influence on avoiding thermomechanical degradation.

... experiences of Blended Learning through their interaction with the adaptive ... to university resources such as computers and Wi-Fi had a greater chance of ... were discordant - students scored better on online tests than in written tests.

The phase behaviour of blends of chlorinated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and chlorinated PVC with random copolymers of caprolactone and caprolactam has been investigated and the results correlated with a binary interaction model. The known miscibility of polycaprolactone in the

Fuel properties of loofah oil and its ethyl ester blended with diesel were experimentally determined. ... The escalating prices of petroleum fuels, the .... equation developed by Bamgboye and Hansen (2008) was used to ..... Renewable Energy.

diesel blends and neat biodiesel since it preferable ... alkanes and aromatic compounds obtained from the ... technique based on the action of microorganisms, which turn hazardous contaminants into non toxic substances.

The present invention comprises the formation of photonic polymer-blend structures having tunable optical and mechanical properties. The photonic polymer-blend structures comprise monomer units of spherical microparticles of a polymer-blend material wherein the spherical microparticles have surfaces partially merged with one another in a robust inter-particle bond having a tunable inter-particle separation or bond length sequentially attached in a desired and programmable architecture. The photonic polymer-blend structures of the present invention can be linked by several hundred individual particles sequentially linked to form complex three-dimensional structures or highly ordered two-dimensional arrays of 3D columns with 2D spacing.

Blending the most fundamental Remote-Sensing principles (RS) with the most functional spatial knowledge (GIS) with the objective of the determination of the accident-prone palms and points (case study: Tehran-Hamadan Highway on Saveh Superhighway)

AstroBlend is a visualization package for use in the three dimensional animation and modeling software, Blender. It reads data in via a text file or can use pre-fab isosurface files stored as OBJ or Wavefront files. AstroBlend supports a variety of codes such as FLASH (ascl:1010.082), Enzo (ascl:1010.072), and Athena (ascl:1010.014), and combines artistic 3D models with computational astrophysics datasets to create models and animations.

Full Text Available In this paper, using the blending (Coons method, we generate some families of free-form surfaces feasible in civil engineering, industries of airplanes, ships, automobiles, industrial and artistic objects, scientific researches and others. The possibility of designing free-form surfaces with the aid of computers has led to new methods for defining surfaces of the following types: Bezier [3], spline [3], Shepard [13], blending (Coons and Gordon [8], [3] and others.

This case-study explores the identities of two teachers in the English Blended Program of a Mexican University during a four month period. The aim is to discover how agency creates different kinds of impacts on teacher's identity in the context of a blended program. Through an interpretive and sociocultural perspective an analysis was conducted by examining data gathered from face-to-face class observations, teacher's Moodle pages, teacher's journals and interviews, as well as questionnaires ...

Most plastic materials, including high performance thermoplastics and thermosets are produced entirely from petroleum-based products. The volatility of the natural oil markets and the increasing cost of petroleum have led to a push to reduce the dependence on petroleum products. Together with an increase in environmental awareness, this has promoted the use of alternative, biorenewable, environmentally-friendly products, such as biomass. The growing interest in replacing petroleum-based products by inexpensive, renewable, natural materials is important for sustainable development into the future and will have a significant impact on the polymer industry and the environment. This thesis involved characterization and development of two series of novel bio-based polymer blends, namely polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)/polyamide (PA) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/soy protein. Blends with different concentrations and compatible microstructures were prepared using twin-screw extruder. For PHA/PA blends, the poor mechanical properties of PHA improved significantly with an excellent combination of strength, stiffness and toughness by adding PA. Furthermore, the effect of blending on the viscoelastic properties has been investigated using small-amplitude oscillatory shear flow experiments as a function of blend composition and angular frequency. The elastic shear modulus (G‧) and complex viscosity of the blends increased significantly with increasing the concentration of PHA. Blending PLA with soy protein aims at reducing production cost, as well as accelerating the biodegradation rate in soil medium. In this work, the mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of the blends were investigated using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and tensile tests.

Experimental, methodical and theoretical studies dealing with phase equilibria and phase structures of polymer blends are generalised. The general and specific features of the change in solubility of polymers with changes in the molecular mass and copolymer composition and upon the formation of three-dimensional cross-linked networks are described. The results of the effect of the prehistory on the phase structure and the non-equilibrium state of polymer blends are considered in detail.

This paper assesses quantitatively the impact on student performance of a blended learning experiment within a large undergraduate first year course in statistics for business and economics students. We employ a differences- in-difference econometric approach, which controls for differences in student characteristics and course delivery method, to evaluate the impact of blended learning on student performance. Although students in the course manifest a preference for live lectures over online...

Full Text Available During the last decade, the global biofuels industry has experienced exponential growth. By-products such as high protein corn gluten meal (CGM and high fibre distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS have grown in parallel. CGM has been shown to be suitable as a biopolymer; the high fibre content of DDGS reduces its effectiveness, although it is considerably cheaper. In this study, the processing behaviour of CGM and DDGS blends was evaluated and resulting extrudate properties were determined. Prior to processing, urea was used as a denaturant. DDGS : CGM ratios of 0, 33, 50, 66, and 100% were processed in a single screw extruder, which solely used dissipative heating. Blends containing DDGS were less uniformly consolidated and resulted in more dissipative heating. Blends showed multiple glass transitions, which is characteristic of mechanically compatible blends. Transmission electron microscopy revealed phase separation on a microscale, although distinct CGM or DDGS phases could not be identified. On a macroscale, optical microscopy suggested that CGM-rich blends were better consolidated, supported by visual observations of a more continuous extrudate formed during extrusion. Future work should aim to also characterize the mechanical properties of these blends to assess their suitability as either bioplastic feedstock or pelletized livestock feed.

Full Text Available The phenomenon of devaluing of self for adolescent girls has been highlighted in previous qualitative research in a US cultural context. Carol Gilligan and her colleagues have documented a loss of connection to self and loss of voice. ‘Blending in’ pertains to such a loss of connection and voice. ‘Blending in’ emerges from many aspects of 8 Irish females’ retrospective qualitative phenomenological accounts of their adolescent experiences. These features of blending in include: a dumbing down of intellectual ability in order to fit in, a desire to be hidden in the group to ‘fade into the background’, to not stand out as being different, fear of being labelled by others and fear of challenging others. Blending in gives phenomenological support to Gilligan’s (1990 accounts of silencing and loss of relation to self in adolescent girls, to a rendering of self as other. This phenomenological exploration is resonant also with de Beauvoir’s Second Sex and to a loss of capacity for introversion in Western culture, echoing Jung (1921. Blending in requires firmer addressing in social and emotional education (SEE, especially regarding challenge to self-management as emotional impulse and behaviour regulation. Self-management as blending in risks being a process of loss of voice and alienation of self.

Blended learning is a combination of online and face-to-face learning and is increasingly of interest for use in undergraduate medical education. It has been used to teach clinical post-graduate students pharmacology but needs evaluation for its use in teaching pharmacology to undergraduate medical students, which represent a different group of students with different learning needs. An existing BSc-level module on neuropharmacology was redesigned using the Blended Learning Design Tool (BLEnDT), a tool which uses learning domains (psychomotor, cognitive and affective) to classify learning outcomes into those taught best by self-directed learning (online) or by collaborative learning (face-to-face). Two online courses were developed, one on Neurotransmitters and the other on Neurodegenerative Conditions. These were supported with face-to-face tutorials. Undergraduate students' engagement with blended learning was explored by the means of three focus groups, the data from which were analysed thematically. Five major themes emerged from the data 1) Purpose and Acceptability 2) Structure, Focus and Consolidation 3) Preparation and workload 4) Engagement with e-learning component 5) Future Medical Education. Blended learning was acceptable and of interest to undergraduate students learning this subject. They expressed a desire for more blended learning in their courses, but only if it was highly structured, of high quality and supported by tutorials. Students identified that the 'blend' was beneficial rather than purely online learning.

Full Text Available Blended learning combines face-to-face class based and online teaching and learning delivery in order to increase flexibility in how, when, and where students study and learn. The development, integration, and promotion of blended learning in frameworks of curriculum design can optimize the opportunities afforded by information and communication technologies and, concomitantly, accommodate a broad range of student learning styles. This study critically reviews the potential benefits of blended learning as a progressive educative paradigm for the teaching of biomedical science and evaluates the opportunities that blended learning offers for the delivery of accessible, flexible and sustainable teaching and learning experiences. A central tenet of biomedical science education at the tertiary level is the development of comprehensive hands-on practical competencies and technical skills (many of which require laboratory-based learning environments, and it is advanced that a blended learning model, which combines face-to-face synchronous teaching and learning activities with asynchronous online teaching and learning activities, effectively creates an authentic, enriching, and student-centred learning environment for biomedical science. Lastly, a blending learning design for introductory biochemistry will be described as an effective example of integrating face-to-face and online teaching, learning and assessment activities within the teaching domain of biomedical science. DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v3i4.169

Full Text Available The Pongamia and waste cooking oils are the main non edible oils for biodiesel production in India. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the fuel properties and investigate the impact on engine performance using Pongamia and waste cooking biodiesel and their ternary blend with diesel. The investigation of the fuel properties shows that Pongamia biodiesel and waste cooking biodiesel have poor cold flow property. This will lead to starting problem in the engine operation. To overcome this problem the ternary blends of diesel, waste cooking biodiesel and Pongamia biodiesel are prepared. The cloud and pour point for ternary blend, (WCB20:PB20:D60 were found to be 7 °C and 6.5 °C which are comparable to cloud and pour point of diesel 6 °C and 5 °C, respectively. The result of the test showed that brake specific fuel consumption for Pongamia biodiesel and waste cooking biodiesel is higher than ternary blend, (WCB20:PB20:D60 due to their lower energy content. The brake thermal efficiency of ternary blend and diesel is comparable while the Pongamia and waste cooking biodiesel have low efficiency. The result of investigation showed that ternary blend can be developed as alternate fuel.

This work is focussed on burnout and NO emissions during coal blend combustion. Two different approaches were used. In a first step, experimental work was carried out in a laminar entrained flow reactor (EFR) and then computational techniques were applied to improve the burnout prediction of coals and blend during the experiments. A preliminary study on the combustibility of the samples was made using a thermogravimetric analyser. An entrained flow reactor was employed to study the behaviour of coals and blends at high heating rate and short residence times. Burnout and NO emissions were measured during these experiments. Two methods were used to modelling the combustion in the entrained flow reactor: a commercial CFD code and an advanced char burnout model. Experiments done in the EFR showed that burnout and NO emissions of some blends can be predicted from the weighted average of the values of individual coals, especially when blended coals have the same rank. When a blend is made with coals of different rank, some deviations were observed with respect to the averaged values in burnout and especially in NOx emissions. Burnouts predicted with a commercial CFD code were higher than the experimental values. The use of an advanced char burnout model improved greatly the results, showing the advantages of coupling these two mathematical techniques. 9 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.

Coal blending is becoming of increasing importance in power stations firing pulverised coal as a result of increasing competition, stricter emission legislation and is an attractive way of improving plant economic and combustion performance. Presently, the two general methods used by power station operators to assess or predict the performance of an unknown coal blend to be fired in power station boilers are by the use of experimental large scale rig tests or correlation indices derived from experience of firing other coal blends in the power station environment. The first is expensive and the second is of doubtful accuracy in some cases. This paper evaluates the application of mathematical modelling of the combustion of a series of binary coal blends in the test situation of a drop tube reactor to predict the NO emissions and degree of char burnout. Its applicability to low NOx burners used in power stations is discussed and it is concluded that present mathematical coal combustion models are not developed sufficiently to enable an adequate description of the binary blends and the physical and chemical processes, which may include interactions, during combustion of the blend. This means that accurate predictions cannot be made. 20 refs., 4 figs., 5 tabs.

Combustion studies of five coals of different origin were carried out in a laboratory scale fluidised bed combustor. Five blends prepared by mixing two coals based on their petrological characterisation, in varying amounts, were selected to study the possibility of reduction NO{sub x}, N{sub 2}O and SO{sub 2} emissions. The results showed that some blends had the opposite behaviour concerning the release of NO{sub x} and SO{sub 2} in relation to parent coals, and the emissions were higher than expected. The N{sub 2}O amounts observed were, however, in almost all blends tested, lower than predicted values. With some blends, the mixing levels intended to reduce SO{sub 2} were not always found to correspond to those for simultaneous decrease of Nox. Most of the blends studied showed some evidence of interaction between them. Varying the proportion of the blend components was observed to alter the temperatures at which interactions were stronger.

Currently, many undergraduate nursing courses use blended-learning course formats with success; however, little evidence exists that supports the use of blended formats in introductory pathophysiology courses. The purpose of this study was to compare the scores on pre- and posttests and course satisfaction between traditional and blended course formats in an introductory nursing pathophysiology course. This study used a quantitative, quasi-experimental, nonrandomized control group, pretest-posttest design. Analysis of covariance compared pre- and posttest scores, and a t test for independent samples compared students' reported course satisfaction of the traditional and blended course formats. Results indicated that the differences in posttest scores were not statistically significant between groups. Students in the traditional group reported statistically significantly higher satisfaction ratings than students in the blended group. The results of this study support the need for further research of using blended learning in introductory pathophysiology courses in undergraduate baccalaureate nursing programs. Further investigation into how satisfaction is affected by course formats is needed. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Recent studies show that compounding polyamide 6 (PA 6) with a PA 6 polyether block copolymers made by reaction injection molding (RIM) or continuous anionic polymerization in a reactive extrusion process (REX) result in blends with high impact strength and high stiffness compared to conventional rubber blends. In this paper, different high impact PA 6 blends were prepared using a twin screw extruder. The different impact modifiers were an ethylene propylene copolymer, a PA PA 6 polyether block copolymer made by reaction injection molding and one made by reactive extrusion. To ensure good particle matrix bonding, the ethylene propylene copolymer was grafted with maleic anhydride (EPR-g-MA). Due to the molecular structure of the two block copolymers, a coupling agent was not necessary. The block copolymers are semi-crystalline and partially cross-linked in contrast to commonly used amorphous rubbers which are usually uncured. The combination of different analysis methods like atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) gave a detailed view in the structure of the blends. Due to the partial cross-linking, the particles of the block copolymers in the blends are not spherical like the ones of ethylene propylene copolymer. The differences in molecular structure, miscibility and grafting of the impact modifiers result in different mechanical properties and different blend morphologies.

Full Text Available Polyether-esterurethanes containing synthetic poly[(R,S-3-hydroxybutyrate] (R,S-PHB and polyoxytetramethylenediol in soft segments and polyesterurethanes with poly(ε-caprolactone and poly[(R,S-3-hydroxybutyrate] were blended with poly([D,L]-lactide (PLA. The products were tested in terms of their oil and water absorption. Oil sorption tests of polyether-esterurethane revealed their higher response in comparison to polyesterurethanes. Blending of polyether-esterurethanes with PLA caused the increase of oil sorption. The highest water sorption was observed for blends of polyether-esterurethane, obtained with 10% of R,S-PHB in soft segments. The samples mass of polyurethanes and their blends were almost not changed after incubation in phosphate buffer and trypsin and lipase solutions. Nevertheless the molecular weight of polymers was significantly reduced after degradation. It was especially visible in case of incubation of samples in phosphate buffer what suggested the chemical hydrolysis of polymer chains. The changes of surface of polyurethanes and their blends, after incubation in both enzymatic solutions, indicated on enzymatic degradation, which had been started despite the lack of mass lost. Polyurethanes and their blends, contained more R,S-PHB in soft segments, were degraded faster.

This study is focusing on durability and performance of the neat blended cement paste as well as those of the polymer-impregnated paste towards seawater and various concentrations of magnesium sulfate solutions up to 6 months of curing. The neat blended cement paste is prepared by a partial substitution of ordinary Portland cement with 5% of active rice husk ash (RHA). These samples were cured under tap water for 7 days. Similar samples were impregnated with unsaturated polyester resin (UPE) and subjected to various doses of gamma rays ranging from 10 to 50 kGy. The results showed that the irradiated impregnated specimens gave higher values of compressive strength than the neat blended cement paste specimens. On immersing the neat blended cement specimens and polymer impregnated specimens especially that irradiated at 30 kGy in seawater and different concentrations of magnesium sulfate solutions up to 6 months of curing, the results showed that the polymer impregnated blended cement (OPC-RHA-UPE) paste have a good resistance towards aggressive media as compared to the neat blended cement (OPC-RHA) paste. The results also indicated that the sea water has a greater corrosive effect than the magnesium sulfate solutions. These results were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP)

In the present work, the effectiveness of styrene/ethylene-butylene/styrene rubbers grafted with maleic anhydride (MA) and a metallocene polyethylene (mPE) as toughening materials in binary and ternary blends with polypropylene and its nanocomposite as continuous phases was evaluated in terms of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), oscillatory shear flow and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMA). The flexural modulus and heat distortion temperature values were determined as well. A metallocene polyethylene and a polyamide-6 were used as dispersed phases in these binary and ternary blends produced via melt blending in a corotating twin-screw extruder. Results showed that the compatibilized blends prepared without clay are tougher than those prepared with the nanocomposite of PP as the matrix phase and no significant changes in shear viscosity, melt elasticity, flexural or storage moduli and heat distortion temperature values were observed between them. However, the binary blend with a nanocomposite of PP as matrix and metallocene polyethylene phase exhibited better toughness, lower shear viscosity, flexural modulus, and heat distortion temperature values than that prepared with polyamide-6 as dispersed phase. These results are related to the degree of clay dispersion in the PP and to the type of morphology developed in the different blends.

Low density polyethylene (LDPE)/ liquid natural rubber (LNR) blends with the composition of 100LDPE/ 0LNR, 70LDPE/ 30LNR, 60LDPE/ 40LNR and 40LDPE/ 60LNR were prepared via dispersion of LDPE and LNR emulsion. LNR was obtained via photochemical sensitization of natural rubber (NR). Emulsion of LNR was prepared by using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and 1-hexanol as the emulsifier and co- emulsifier respectively. Emulsion of LDPE was prepared in the same way by using LDPE solution in carbon tetrachloride, SDS and 1-hexanol. LDPE/ LNR blends were prepared via mixing of LNR and LDPE emulsions. Mechanical properties of the blends were analyzed by tensile, hardness and impact test. Optimum mechanical properties were observed for composite with composition of 60LDPE/ 40LNR that showed the maximum value of stress and strain. The glass transition temperature, T g , of the blends as obtained from differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) showed that the blends were homogeneous. Morphology study by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) also indicates the homogeneity of LDPE/ LNR blends produced. (author)

Full Text Available The water-in-oil (W/O emulsification-diffusion method was used for construction of keratin (Ker, alginate (Alg, and Ker/Alg blend microparticles. The Ker, Alg, and Ker/Alg blend solutions were used as the water phase, while ethyl acetate was used as the oil phase. Firstly, different concentrations of Ker solution was used to find suitable content. 1.6% w/v Ker solution was blended with the same concentration of the Alg solution for further microparticle construction. Results from scanning electron microscope analysis show that the microparticles have different shapes: spherical, bowl-like, porous, and hollow, with several sizes depending on the blend ratio. FTIR and TG analyses indicated that the secondary structure and thermal stability of the microparticles were influenced by the Ker/Alg blend ratio. The interaction between functional groups of keratin and alginate was the main factor for both β-sheet structure and Td,max values of the microparticles. The results suggested that Ker/Alg blend microparticles might be applied in many fields by varying the Ker/Alg ratio.

Binary blends of poly(ethylene terephthalate) with poly(lactic acid), PET/PLA, were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray scattering. The PET/PLA blends, prepared by solution casting, were found to be miscible in the melt over the entire composition range. Both quenched amorphous and semicrystalline blends exhibit a single, composition dependent glass transition temperature. We report the non-isothermal crystallization of (a) PET, with and without the presence of PLA crystals and (b) PLA, with and without the presence of PET crystals. PET can crystallize in all blends, regardless of whether PLA is amorphous or crystalline, and degree of crystallinity of PET decreases as PLA content increases. In contrast, PLA crystallization is strongly affected by the mobility of the PET fraction. When PET is wholly amorphous, PLA can crystallize even in 70/30 blends, albeit weakly. But when PET is crystalline, PLA cannot crystallize when its own content drops below 0.90. These different behaviors may possibly be related to the tendency of each polymer to form constrained chains, i.e., to form the rigid amorphous fraction, or RAF. PET is capable of forming a large amount of RAF, whereas relatively smaller amount of RAF forms in PLA. Like the crystals, the rigid amorphous fraction of one polymer component may inhibit the growth of crystals of the other blend partner.

Blends containing 75 wt. % of an amorphous polylactide (PLA) with two different molecular weights and 25 wt. % of a poly[(butylene adipate)-co-terephthalate] (PBAT) were prepared using either a Brabender batch mixer or a twin-screw extruder. These compounds were selected because blending PLA with PBAT can overcome various drawbacks of PLA such as its brittleness and processability limitations. In this study, we investigated the effects of varying the molecular weight of the PLA matrix and of two different mixing processes on the blend morphology and, further, on droplet coalescence during shearing. The rheological properties of these blends were investigated and the interfacial properties were analyzed using the Palierne emulsion model. Droplet coalescence was investigated by applying shear flows of 0.05 and 0.20 s{sup −1} at a fixed strain of 60. Subsequently, small amplitude oscillatory shear tests were conducted to investigate changes in the viscoelastic properties. The morphology of the blends was also examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs. It was observed that the PBAT droplets were much smaller when twin-screw extrusion was used for the blend preparation. Shearing at 0.05 s{sup −1} induced significant droplet coalescence in all blends, but coalescence and changes in the viscoelastic properties were much more pronounced for the PLA-PBAT blend based on a lower molecular weight PLA. The viscoelastic responses were also somehow affected by the thermal degradation of the PLA matrix during the experiments.

Full Text Available In an image processing field the digital image recovery is termed as inpainting. Efficient retrieval of an image, especially having large objects with high curvature and complex texture is an immensely challenging problem for image inpainting researchers and practitioner. This enthused researchers and emerge various inpainting algorithms and many are in progress. Generally inpainting techniques approaches the available area source of given image(s to restore the unavailable area target by the information available at the target edge. This paper represents a novel approach BSDD (Blended Spatial and Dimensional Distances by sampling patches at each pixel of the source region. From the given sample, selection of local edge patch is gradient based without priority computation overhead as previous techniques. These local patches are searched globally by linear distance in which both spatial and dimensional distances are considered with regularization factor. The main motive of this method consists in achieving the efficiency, curvature and textural challenges of inpainting without compromising the quality of inpainted image. We have tested the proposed method in real as well as synthetic images with high curvature and complex textures in all cases results are comparable with other well-known techniques. In view of quality and optical the proposed algorithm exhibits better results.

Full Text Available Within the furniture manufacturing industry a high proportion of occupational accidents are as a result of non-compliance to machining regulations and incorrect work practices. Safety training plays an important role in reducing accidents and promoting a safety culture within this sector. This article details an action research study undertaken during the first year of a new Degree in Timber Product Technology, which set out to evaluate the impact a blended learning environment and reusable learning objects (RLOs could have on promoting safe work practices and a safety culture amongst students. A constructivist approach was taken and the module design was underpinned by Kolb’s model of experiential learning, placing more responsibility on the learners for their own learning and encouraging them to reflect upon their experiences. The findings of this study suggest that students with prior industry machining experience required a change in their attitude to machining which was achieved within the practical labs, while students with no machining experiences were intimidated by the learning environment in the practical labs but whose learning experience was enhanced through the use of RLOs and other eLearning resources. In order to reduce occupational accidents in the furniture manufacturing industry the promotion of continuing professional development (CPD training courses is required in order to change workers’ behaviour to machine safety and encourage lifelong learning so as to promote a safety culture within the furniture manufacturing industry.